A HEAD FOR AIRPORT SECURITY EX-MILITARY MAN TAKES OVER AT LAX.

Byline: Mariel Garza Staff Writer

As the newly appointed federal security director at Los Angeles International Airport, retired U.S. Navy Admiral David Stone sees as his first concern the safety and security for the 60 million people traveling through one of the nation's busiest airports each year.

But Stone has another concern: making the cumbersome aviation security procedures enacted since Sept. 11 more customer-friendly, to lure back those travelers vexed by the ``hassle factor.''

``I have two missions at LAX: world-class security and world-class service,'' Stone said in a recent interview. ``It has to have a balance.''

Talk of improving customer service might seem odd coming from a career military man. But Stone pointed out that LAX is not just an important transportation hub for the nation, it's an economic force as well. Estimates that as many as one-fourth of travelers stopped flying because of the lines, waits and headaches caused by more strict security seem ominous, he said.

Stone was appointed June 30 by U.S. Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta as part of the Transportation Security Administration's war on terrorism in response to the Sept. 11 attacks.

Stone underwent a two-week orientation in Washington, D.C., arriving at LAX on July 15. Since then, in between trips back to the nation's capital, Stone has set about meeting with the ``stakeholders'' at LAX, touring the operations and generally assessing the airport's vulnerabilities.

His immediate task is to hire a force of 2,000 baggage screeners and to secure the large baggage-screening machines the government and mandated must be in place by Dec. 31.

His long-term goal is to build a drum-tight, coordinated security effort to protect one of the nation's most important transportation hubs.

``This is very large airport with a lot of lives that touch it,'' Stone said. ``We need to protect it properly. The fact that al-Qaida and terrorists looked at this as a potential target is not surprising.

``It's a key asset for our country, and it needs to be protected.''

Stone also is charged with putting together an armed federal law enforcement force at LAX, the details of which are still to be worked out.

Stone's last military assignment before coming to LAX was as director of environmental protection, safety and occupational health in the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations.

His academic work included three master's degrees - two in national security and one in management.

Stone, 50, who grew up in Illinois, said he and his wife are looking for a home in Los Angeles but have not yet settled on a location.

In the few weeks since he came to Los Angeles, Stone's professionalism and anti-terrorism background have already wowed city and airport officials.

``I'm very impressed with Rear Admiral David Stone,'' said Mayor James Hahn, who's already conferred with Stone several times. ``He's someone who has a lot of military background in looking at intelligence and terrorism. I think he's really capable on that end.''

Since the Sept. 11 attacks shut down the nation's airports - and, more recently, a July 4 shooting at LAX left three people dead - airport security has weighed heavily on the minds of city officials.

In the past two weeks, Hahn has unveiled plans for $30 million worth of security upgrades to the public and operation areas to the airport. Both times, he said he briefed Stone before announcing the measures. Both times, Stone endorsed the plan.

Hahn said some people have questioned the logic of hiring someone from the military to protect the airport, but to him, it makes sense.

``This is a national security issue, and he's treating it as such,'' Hahn said, ``It's helpful to have someone who understands the seriousness of the issue.''

Besides, Stone points out that many of his Navy assignments, such as the commander of a nine-ship NATO mission in the Mediterranean Sea, have been about protecting large entities, such as ships, from terrorism.

Airport officials said they were encouraged by Stone's interest in communicating with them and his availability. His office, in the old flight-control tower, is just upstairs from LAX administration, and officials say he has diligently met and conferred with LAX administrators and local law enforcement.

``He is very accessible,'' said Nancy Castles, speaking for LAX administration officials. ``Even while he's been in Washington this week, he's been accessible by phone and by e-mail.''

Stone's enthusiasm on his first day at LAX impressed Airport Police Chief Bernard Wilson. During a briefing, there was a security breach reported, and one of the terminals was evacuated.

``He was interested enough to respond,'' said Wilson, who pegged Stone as a quick study. ``He asked the right questions.''

Even before Stone came to town, some city officials and security experts such as City Councilman Jack Weiss, former Mayor Richard Riordan and Amy Zegart, a national security expert at the University of California, Los Angeles, were calling for a security czar for LAX.

Having so many law enforcement agencies working at the airport, but not one person overseeing them all, puts the airport and travelers at risk, they said.

``There's certainly not many enterprises in the security field that work well with multiple bosses,'' said Weiss, who has emerged as the security point man for the council. ``So the test is can he create an environment where someone ... has final say on law enforcement and security at the airport.''

``It's an enormous challenge,'' Weiss added. ``And if he becomes that person, that would be great for LAX and great for Los Angeles.''

Stone very well may emerge as that person.

Although he refrains from asserting his authority as head of security, he does concede that, ultimately, responsibility for the safety and security of LAX rests with him.

As for Stone's ability to bring together all the federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, Chief Wilson said Stone's experiences in the military, such as the NATO task force, make him qualified for the job.

``If he can knit together captains of nations, he can certainly work with ... all the agencies,'' Wilson said.

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David Stone, new federal security officer at LAX, is hiring new baggage screeners as well as trying to hire new federal officers to take over from LAPD.

Michael Owen Baker/Staff Photographer