Washington - The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey has notified the office of U.S. Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ) that it is installing alarms on security cameras at Newark Liberty International Airport to alert personnel in the event of a malfunction. The Port Authority is also conducting a comprehensive security review as a result of the January security breach in which a man slipped past security at a terminal exit point, causing major inconveniences for passengers and travel disruption.

Senator Menendez has called for a number of upgrades to the security at Newark Airport, including the camera alarms (his letter on needed upgrades available here: http://menendez.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/20100111ltr_EWRSecurityTech.pdf). Today, he said that this upgrade will help improve security, but more steps are needed:

"I applaud the Port Authority for considering the security technology upgrades I have suggested and acting on an important one of them. It is common sense that we need video surveillance at the airport that will actually work, and it was outrageous to learn that security personnel often had no idea when the camera system would repeatedly malfunction. This is a first step that will make Newark Airport safer. However, it is important to remember that we're also dealing with a camera system that seems to be limited and frequently on the fritz and that there are terminal exit points that are susceptible to breaches. That's why I certainly hope that more security upgrades will be forthcoming and that the Port Authority will consider the additional actions I have suggested to make Newark as safe as it needs to be."

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