"Private airport security firms could get back in screening business"

Friday, August 8, 2003
 
Private airport security firms could get back in screening business 
By Karen Lee Scrivo
CongressDaily 


While most airline passengers now encounter Transportation Security
Administration employees at airport security checkpoints across the country,
private companies are handling screening at five airports and the number
could expand next year.

Most of the companies involved in a pilot program that allowed the federal
government to contract with private security companies said they hope to
renew their one-year contracts in November, and some are interested in
expanding their horizons in 2004 when other airports can opt out of the
federal screening program. "We've put everything we have to show we can do
this," said Robert Coe, president and chief executive officer of Covenant
Aviation Security, which is providing screening at San Francisco
International and Tupelo, Miss., airports. The company has drawn on its
experience of handling security at Energy Department facilities, which
provides "the best model of strong government oversight and guidance," Coe
added. Federal oversight of private companies is essential if airports
choose to forgo federal screeners, Coe told CongressDaily, adding that his
company would be interested in work at other airports. 

Indeed, the private companies involved in the pilot program work under TSA
supervision and hire personnel using the same guidelines TSA uses for its
own screeners. TSA also trains the company's screeners. In addition to
Covenant, the private companies involved in the pilot program include:
International Total Services Inc. of Cleveland at the Kansas City Airport;
McNeil Technologies of Springfield, Va., at the Greater Rochester (N.Y.)
Airport; and the Jackson Hole Airport Board at the Jackson Hole (Wyo.)
Airport. The opportunity for some private-screening companies to continue to
work at airports comes as a result of the aviation security bill passed
shortly after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. The bill included
provisions creating the pilot program and allowing other airports to opt out
of the federal screening program next year. 

While the pilot program has gone well for ITS-which will become FirstLine
Transportation Security after next Friday-there have been "some bumps along
the way" in getting the new program in place on a tight timeline "with no
road map," said John DeMell, the company's president. But the partnership
continues to work through the issues and the company is interested in future
work at other airports, DeMell added. 

The Jackson Hole Airport Board, which has handled screening at the Wyoming
airport for about 20 years, is interested in renewing its contract, said
Jeanne Kirkpatrick, assistant airport director. Calls to the remaining
company in the pilot program-McNeil Technologies-were not returned. For its
part, the TSA is "confident that the private companies are providing the
appropriate level of security," said TSA spokesman Brian Turmail. In
addition to the department's aggressive undercover inspectors who regularly
try to crack the system, TSA is doing a comprehensive review of the program,
he said. 

House Transportation and Infrastructure Aviation Subcommittee Chairman John
Mica, R-Fla., fought to include the pilot program for private security
companies at selected airports in aviation security legislation because he
believes that federalizing the workforce is the most costly approach, his
spokesman said. 

What is needed is federal oversight and uniform standards, Mica's spokesman
added. "The key difference is that before Sept. 11, airlines were in charge
of security-and they had a vested interest in cutting corners," the
spokesman said. Screeners were under-trained, under-paid and overworked, and
standards varied depending on the airport, he added. Mica has asked the
Homeland Security Department's inspector general to do an independent
assessment of the Transportation Security Administration's federal screening
process. And he has also requested that GAO review the airport baggage
screening before and after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. 

But not everyone thinks returning to private sector screening is a good
idea. The American Federation of Government Employees has "grave concerns"
about the idea, said union spokeswoman Diane Witiak. If screening is
contracted out, Witiak said it resurrects some of the same problems that
existed before federal screeners were installed at the nation's airports. 

"Airport security should be handled by the federal government, not for
profit at the expense of the flying public," she said. Peter Winch, AFGE's
union organizer, agrees. Turning over the job to the private sector would
result in "a patchwork quilt" of different companies-some of which have high
turnover and other problems.


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