"TSA Continues to Revise Airline Passenger Screening"

Monday, May 14, 2007

Commentary
TSA Continues to Revise Airline Passenger Screening
By Jim Kouri
The Canadian Free Press


The Transportation Security Administration's most visible layer of
commercial aviation security is the screening of airline passengers at
airport checkpoints, where travelers and their carry-on items are screened
for explosives and other dangerous items by transportation security
officers. 

Between April 2005 and December 2005, proposed modifications to passenger
checkpoint screening standard operating procedures (SOP) were made for a
variety of reasons, and while a majority of the proposed modifications -- 48
of 92 -- were ultimately implemented at airports, TSA's methods for
evaluating and documenting them could be improved. 

SOP modifications were proposed based on the professional judgment of TSA
senior-level officials and program-level staff. TSA considered the daily
experiences of airport staff, complaints and concerns raised by the
traveling public, and analysis of risks to the aviation system when
proposing SOP modifications. 

TSA also made efforts to balance the impact on security, efficiency, and
customer service when deciding which proposed modifications to implement, as
in the case of the SOP changes made in response to the alleged August 2006
liquid explosives terrorist plot. In some cases, TSA tested proposed
modifications at selected airports to help determine whether the changes
would achieve their intended purpose. 

However, TSA's data collection and analyses could be improved to help TSA
determine whether proposed procedures that are operationally tested would
achieve their intended purpose. 

For example, TSA officials decided to allow passengers to carry small
scissors and tools onto aircraft based on their review of threat
information, which indicated that these items do not pose a high risk to the
aviation system. However, TSA did not conduct the necessary analysis of data
it collected to assess whether this screening change would free up security
officers to focus on screening for high-risk threats, as intended. 

TSA officials acknowledged the importance of evaluating whether proposed
screening procedures would achieve their intended purpose, but cited
difficulties in doing so, including time pressures to implement needed
security measures quickly. Finally, TSA's documentation on proposed
modifications to screening procedures was not complete. 

TSA documented the basis -- that is, the information, experience, or event
that encouraged TSA officials to propose the modifications -- for 72 of the
92 proposed modifications. In addition, TSA documented the reasoning behind
its decisions for half (26 of 44) of the proposed modifications that were
not implemented. 

Without more complete documentation, TSA may not be able to justify key
modifications to passenger screening procedures to Congress and the
traveling public. TSA monitors TSO compliance with passenger checkpoint
screening procedures through its performance accountability and standards
system and through covert testing. 

Compliance assessments include quarterly observations of TSOs' ability to
perform particular screening functions in the operating environment,
quarterly quizzes to assess TSOs' knowledge of procedures, and an annual
knowledge and skills assessment. 

TSA uses covert tests to evaluate, in part, the extent to which TSOs'
noncompliance with procedures affects their ability to detect simulated
threat items hidden in accessible property or concealed on a person. TSA
airport officials have experienced resource challenges in implementing these
compliance monitoring methods. TSA headquarters officials stated that they
are taking steps to address these challenges. 

Sources: Transportation Security Administration, Government Accounting
Office, National Security Institute, National Association of Chiefs of
Police.

Jim Kouri, CPP is currently fifth vice-president of the National Association
of Chiefs of Police. He's former chief at a New York City housing project in
Washington Heights nicknamed "Crack City" by reporters covering the drug war
in the 1980s. In addition, he served as director of public safety at a New
Jersey university and director of security for several major organizations.
He's also served on the National Drug Task Force and trained police and
security officers throughout the country.

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