After more than two decades of having sheriff’s deputies stationed inside the terminal, the Kalamazoo/Battle Creek International Airport in the US has replaced sworn law enforcement with private security as a cost-saving measure.
The Kalamazoo County Sheriff’s Office (KCSO) stopped providing airport security Feb. 28 of this year. Deputies were employed as part of measures to increase security around airports following the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks, in which hijackers turned planes into weapons. Last year, the airport paid KCSO $458,000 in cost reimbursements, said Airport Director Craig Williams in an interview with NowKalamazoo.
“We don’t get any general fund money, any tax money, so we’re always looking at our bottom line,” Williams said. “And we’re always looking at ways we could handle our security services a little more efficiently.”
The airport has contracted with private security company Pro-Tec to provide security at the airport. Williams said Pro-Tec or airport staff will call the Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety if there’s an emergency or they need local law enforcement.
Williams said the change meets federal requirements and the Transportation Security Administration, which maintains its staff at the airport, approved the model before it was implemented. He said there was no period of time when the airport was without security.
KCSO provides contracted services to townships and villages throughout the county, as an alternative to having their own police departments. Kalamazoo County Vice Chair Pro Temp Jeff Heppler said at the March 17 county commission meeting that there are current discussions underway to ensure that “it’s a fair price that those folks pay,” which is “the better part of almost $2 million” a year total.
The shift followed months of negotiation between the airport and the KCSO. Chief Deputy Logan Bishop said in an interview with NowKalamazoo, the airport first approached the sheriff’s office last July with concerns about its budget and a proposal to eliminate a supervisory personnel role following the retirement of the unit sergeant.
“We didn’t think that was a great idea,” Bishop said. “The unit required some direct supervision, and so we committed to thinking about some other options where they could save some money.”
KCSO offered an alternative cost‑saving model that reduced hours and converted full‑time deputies to part‑time positions. Bishop said the proposal met the airport’s requested savings, but airport leadership opted to issue a countywide request for proposals instead.
When the proposals were not what the airport was looking for, they searched for private security companies to take the role, according to Bishop. KCSO agreed to extend coverage through February to allow the airport time to transition to a new provider.
Bishop said the airport’s costs under the old arrangement covered only deputies’ wages, overtime, and benefits. The Sheriff’s Office paid for everything else, including vehicles, equipment, uniforms, training, and certifications. When the airport issued its Request For Proposals, it required full‑time staffing, supervision, vehicles, and administrative fees, which Bishop said drove KCSD’s proposal to nearly double the airport’s previous costs.
The airport ultimately selected Pro‑Tec, whose combined fire and security contract for 2026 totals about $815,000, Williams said. The company is contracted for the next three years.
