TSA Actually Doing Something Right

[tonyw]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/11/08/AR2009110817898.html

To identify potentially dangerous individuals, the Transportation Security Administration has stationed specially trained behavior-detection officers at 161 U.S. airports. The officers may be positioned anywhere, from the parking garage to the gate, trying to spot passengers who show an unusual level of nervousness or stress.

Under the program, which started in Boston in 2003, a suspicious passenger might be given a secondary security screening or referred to police; detection officers do not have arrest powers.

Last year, officers nationwide required 98,805 passengers to undergo additional screenings. Police questioned 9,854 of them and arrested 813.

In one case, in March 2008, detection officers noticed a passenger about to board a flight from Fort Lauderdale to Charlotte, N.C. During a secondary screening, officers found 209 grams of the drug ecstasy, with a street value of $2.5 million, in a carry-on bag. The traveler was arrested.

In other instances, passengers have been arrested on charges of drug trafficking, possessing fraudulent documents and having outstanding warrants, Koshetz said.



This is actual security. Making grandma take off her orthopedic shoes is not.

 

[scramjet]

That's a good idea, but the problem is some of the really fanatical individuals that the TSA was created to defend the air transportation system against are probably experts at keeping a highly neutral or otherwise non suggestive affect about them; it seems like you'd probably catch inexperienced drug smugglers and the like, but not really terrorists or anything.

 

[falconvalley]

Great idea and will result in a lot of bummed out burn-outs, but like scramjet said, the best are the best for a reason.

 

[TFaudree_ERAU]

officers found 209 grams of the drug ecstasy, with a street value of $2.5 million, in a carry-on bag.

Which basically amounts to the boneheads at the x-ray machine not being able to do their job.

 

[flyguydaniel]

From what I've read, psychological screening is a huge part of security wherever you go in Israel. They do the metal detecting thing too at the airports, but I believe that their primary means of screening is a one on one interaction with people. So it's good to see that the TSA is doing something more useful and effective in their screenings.

 

[SteveC]

Posted 2006:

I've been through El Al's screening before, and I believe the hype about it being the best in the world. Problem is that it is very labor intensive (i.e. lots of screeners needed), and the screeners must be well above average intelligence, implying an above average wage to entice the appropriate demographic. Do you see that happening here in the States, land of the low-bid / Walmart mentality?

2008:

Wait till you go through Tel Aviv, if you haven't already. Sharp people simply asking twenty questions (or more like ten questions)...best screening in the world. You have to experience it to believe it.

Maybe the TSA is starting to come around. Wonder if they'll spend the money and effort to do it correctly?

 

[Michael95U]

Posted 2006:



2008:



Maybe the TSA is starting to come around. Wonder if they'll spend the money and effort to do it correctly?

The Israeli's are the best. One of my good Israeli friends worked as a security agent at El Al's JFK location. The amount of training they go through is unbelievable. It would be awesome for the TSA to have those kinds of resources to train more of these detection officers.

 

[N826AW]

The Israeli's are the best. One of my good Israeli friends worked as a security agent at El Al's JFK location. The amount of training they go through is unbelievable. It would be awesome for the TSA to have those kinds of resources to train more of these detection officers.

I think that's wha everyone thought the TSA agents were going to be. Instead of firing all of the private security companies because their employees suck and then subsequently hiring said employees to wear new uniforms.

 

[gne in prog]

From what I've read, psychological screening is a huge part of security wherever you go in Israel. They do the metal detecting thing too at the airports, but I believe that their primary means of screening is a one on one interaction with people. So it's good to see that the TSA is doing something more useful and effective in their screenings.

they also do something else. rhymes with pacial rrofiling.

this isn't adding anything of value. we know who wants to kill us, it isn't 50 year olds from finland, and it isn't the grandmother from des moines. get past the p.c. crap and then we can make meaningful steps towards security.

 

[tonyw]

Racial profiling is easily defeated. If you start looking for "middle Eastern men" then you're going to be caught off guard when a bunch of guys like John Walker Linde or Pakistanis with light skin or Dutch women or Indonesians start to carry out terrorist attacks.

 

[SteveC]

Racial profiling is easily defeated. If you start looking for "middle Eastern men" then you're going to be caught off guard when a bunch of guys like John Walker Linde or Pakistanis with light skin or Dutch women or Indonesians start to carry out terrorist attacks.

Yep, but what the Israelis do is true profiling. Different ballgame entirely than strictly racial based profiling.

I don't expect the TSA to figure it out though.

 

[Bigey]

they also do something else. rhymes with pacial rrofiling.

this isn't adding anything of value. we know who wants to kill us, it isn't 50 year olds from finland, and it isn't the grandmother from des moines. get past the p.c. crap and then we can make meaningful steps towards security.

Yeap, it's the 20 year old middle eastern males! Let's get past the P.C. crap called the constitution, and we'll have meaningful steps towards security!

 

[Bigey]

Racial profiling is easily defeated. If you start looking for "middle Eastern men" then you're going to be caught off guard when a bunch of guys like John Walker Linde or Pakistanis with light skin or Dutch women or Indonesians start to carry out terrorist attacks.

2 words : Richard Reid.

 

[stesta5074]

This is tyranny, not security! Having these buffoons watch my movements is unacceptable in a free country. I hate the TSA with a fierce passion!!!

Smells like the SS or DPRK "monitors".

"Psychological screening" by TSA drones. I bet most of them can't even define the word psychology.

 

[Jayrock]

A few weeks ago they setup a post just inside the GA access gate. So basically, after I show my ID to the deputy and enter the gate, I'm then confronted by not one, not two, not three, but four TSA agents. Pretty much a wind and wink and I'm on my way to the ramp. And I felt safe all the rest of the day.

 

[tonyw]

Yep, but what the Israelis do is true profiling. Different ballgame entirely than strictly racial based profiling.

I don't expect the TSA to figure it out though.

I'm fine with profiling based on behavior. From reading the story, it's what they're putting in place.

And it does seem to be working. They've arrested over 800 people who they flagged through this program. While I'll bet most of those were smugglers, they did it not by saying "stop Latino males" but by observing people's behavior and stopping those who looked out of place.

I also do not believe there are any privacy concerns here. The airport is a public place, so someone observing you is not violating your rights.

 

[deek]

I understand that it is likely that a white woman will blow up an airplane, but given a muslim man, and a white woman, who would i spend my very limited resources on, here's a hint, it isn't the white woman.

I have no problem with behavior specialist watching and talking to people, yes you are mostly going to get drug smugglers, and that's fine too (we'll no, i'm all for legal drugs), but it's been proven successful in other countries so why not here. But I know it will fail because people will freak out and complain and sue, it's the american way.

 

[CFIscare]

The Israeli's are the best. One of my good Israeli friends worked as a security agent at El Al's JFK location. The amount of training they go through is unbelievable. It would be awesome for the TSA to have those kinds of resources to train more of these detection officers.

You mean that having above-average TSA agents go through four days of training isn't unbelievable? Four days some how doesn't make them a super agent? :dunno:

"These jobs do not require a background in behavior analysis, but are chosen based on their intelligence, maturity and ability to work with people, the TSA said.
Officers undergo four days of behavior training, which includes training to spot suicide terrorists, and then receive 24 hours of on-the-job preparation."

 

[Rosstafari]

2 words : Richard Reid.

Yeah... but you've seen pictures of him, right? I'm pretty sure any profiling at all, racial or otherwise, would raise some suspicion over a guy looking as screwy as this:

That's one funky looking dude.

 

[vikingair]

Its a bit confusing....does it mean these specially trained officers stopped 98K, police questioned 10% of those and 800 were arrested? If so thats less than 1%..sounds like the shotgun approach. 99% of people exhibited the same characteristics and behaviors as people actually guilty of something and some of those were warrrants which maybe the passenger didnt even know they had for say unpaid parking tickets. Sure..I'm all for safety and security
but this is hardly a big ra ra for TSA.