Local police will increase their presence at U.S. airports and the Transportation Security Administration will evaluate its procedures after a gunman killed an agency officer at Los Angeles International Airport.

The agency will discuss airport security issues “writ large” with Congress, including whether to arm officers, TSA Administrator John Pistole said at a press conference in Los Angeles yesterday.

“Obviously this gives us great concern,” said Pistole, who met with the family of Officer Gerardo Hernandez, 39, the first TSA employee killed in the line of duty, and other victims of the Nov. 1 shootings. “We will look at what our policies and procedures are and what provides the best possible security.”

The suspect, Paul Ciancia, 23, was accused of killing a federal officer on duty and of using a firearm to perform an act of violence at an international airport, according to a criminal complaint filed yesterday in Los Angeles federal court. If convicted, he could face the death penalty.

Ciancia is hospitalized and unresponsive so police haven’t been able to interview him, David L. Bowdich, the FBI special agent in charge, said at the press conference yesterday. It’s unclear when he will make his first court appearance.

Ciancia, of Los Angeles, singled out TSA employees and said in a handwritten note that he wanted “to instill fear in their traitorous minds,” Bowdich said.

Pistole didn’t give an opinion about arming his officers while differentiating between the missions of airport police and his employees, whose principal job is to make sure explosives don’t get onto flights.
Flights Disrupted

The shootings halted flights in and out of the Los Angeles airport, the fifth-busiest in the U.S. by domestic passengers, stranding thousands and delaying flights across the U.S. The biggest carriers are United Continental Holdings Inc. (UAL:US)’s United Airlines, AMR Corp. (AAMRQ:US)’s American Airlines, Southwest Airlines Co. (LUV:US) and Delta Air Lines Inc.

As many as 866 flights, including 40 yesterday, were canceled, delayed or rerouted.

Enhanced security at Los Angeles will remain for the foreseeable future, said Patrick Gannon, the airport police chief, who didn’t give details. Passengers should feel safe with the additional resources, Gannon said.

“We’ll keep it going as long as we think it’s necessary,” Gannon said. “We will continue a very high profile.”

Airports and the TSA customarily decline to discuss details of security procedures and personnel use beyond acknowledging visible safeguards such as checkpoints. That was the case again yesterday with the city of Chicago, which runs O’Hare International, the second-busiest U.S. airport.