The Lee County Port Authority (LCPA) has selected John (Jack) T. Cavanaugh, Jr. as the new chief of airport police, responsible for public safety and security at Southwest Florida International Airport and Page Field General Aviation Airport. Cavanaugh will assume command of the Airport Police Department (APD) from Richard Severson, who is retiring.

Cavanaugh began his career with LCPA in February 1991, as a patrol officer and a member of the canine team. In February 1999, he was promoted to sergeant and to lieutenant in November 2002 where he was a watch commander and assisted in the development of APD policies and procedures. In April 2004, Cavanaugh was promoted to major/assistant chief charged with overseeing the day-to-day operations of the airport security program, working closely with the Transportation Security Administration and managing the airport police patrol division.

Cavanaugh graduated from the 226th session of the FBI National Academy in September 2006 and obtained his certification for Airport Security Coordinator Training through the American Association of Airport Executives (AAAE) in 2006.

He has served in the U.S. Coast Guard since March 1986 and graduated from the Chief Petty Officer Academy in June 2006. He was designated as the senior enlisted person in charge of the Reserve Unit at the Coast Guard Station Fort Myers Beach, Fla. and has helped organize and oversee four successful deployments for his reserve unit.

Cavanaugh has an associate’s degree from Edison Community College. For more information, please visit www.flylcpa.com <http://www.flylcpa.com/> .

Source: Lee County Port Authority