This not exactly an aviation incident but could lead to an incident.

FERRUGIA FILE FAA Reacts to 7NEWS Investigation It is an incident of violence in the workplace that has many air traffic controllers worried for their own safety.

It happened at the FAA center in Longmont. 7NEWS first reported the story Wednesday night in a Ferrugia File investigation. The FAA is acknowledging the incident happened but refuses to talk about it or its policy in dealing with workplace violence. The controller, Bruce Reins, has an admitted history of a violent temper and abuse of his former wife. FAA supervisors have apparently known that for years. Now, Reins is back in his air traffic controller's seat, even though some of his co-workers say he has proven himself a threat on the job.

Air traffic controller, Bruce Reins admits that he abruptly left his radar screen, and walked out an alarmed door of the Longmont air traffic control center.

He says he has admitted to FAA supervisors that he then threw a rock through a window near this loading dock. The glass hit a controller walking down the stairs directly behind the window who didn't know whether it was a gun or a rock or an explosion. But in only a few days, Reins was back on the job and employees were told not to talk about the incident. Now, some controllers are worried about what Reins might do next.

Thursday, the FAA refused to answer any questions about the incident in Longmont. In a statement from Washington, the FAA said its "management is aware of the incident that was generally described on a Denver television station. Our efforts are directed at correcting behavior and as a policy we do not discuss the specifics."

By stonewalling our inquiry, the FAA has refused to discuss apparent violations of its own policy.

An employee brochure on workplace violence, states: "Whenever you observe or are a victim of a violent act, call your local law enforcement." but that didn't happen.

Several sources say managers told employees not to call the police because the facility manager would handle the problem internally. And they were told not to discuss it.

So the bottom line is this: A controller with an admitted violent history is back on the job after a serious incident of workplace violence.

Some of his co-workers are afraid he might blow up again and injure them.. or passengers in the aircraft he controls. Friday, 7NEWS speaks with a Colorado congress person for reaction to what some controller's see as a serious threat.

http://www.kmgh.com/news/2934.html

-- Martin Thompson (mthom1927@aol.com), February 15, 2000