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Police officers at Detroit Metro Airport may soon be carrying rifles

Posted at 5:43 PM, Apr 30, 2018
and last updated 2018-05-01 08:54:09-04

People flying in and out of Detroit Metro Airport could soon be seeing airport police carrying exposed rifles. 

"I think that's too much.. way too much," said Janell Travis. But most people 7 Action News talked to Monday said they would feel more comfortable if it would mean an increased level of protection and faster response to any threat. 

"I don't mind having the policemen with the rifles exposed," said Peter Wytykowski. 

"At the airport, I'd feel more safe, honestly," said Kelsey Hayes who was preparing to board a flight to the Philippines. 

A spokesperson for the Wayne County Airport Authority said they are still in the researching phase, but a decision could come sometime in May. 

Police at North Carolina's Charlotte-Douglas International Airport began carrying assault-style rifles in January 2017, just days after a gunman shot and killed five people at an airport in Florida. 

A spokesperson for the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department says the move to carry rifles in the airport was also in response to worldwide events, adding that the response from the public has been favorable.