5.2 TSA

WHO? The Transportation Security Administration.

WHAT? Secure the nation’s airports, highways, railroads, and pipelines.

WHEN? TSA was created after contract security failed to detect hijacker’s weapons on 9/11.

WHERE? About 60,000 TSA agents operate at more than 450 airports across the US.

WHY? To prevent another 9/11.

We know from the last topic that TSA is responsible for securing the nation’s highways, railroads, and pipelines. But let’s talk about everybody’s favorite, airport security. Following the failure of contracted security to detect the hijackers’ weapons on 9/11, the Aviation and Transportation Security Act of November 2001 placed airport security in the hands of the Feds. TSA is responsible for enacting airport security as defined in Title 49, Section 1540.303 of US Code. Obviously that’s too much for this course, but let’s see if we can’t hit some of the highlights. Let’s start at the beginning. Airport security begins with your boarding pass. The airline checks your identity against a system called Secure Flight. If Secure Flight says you’re on the No-Fly List, then you don’t get a boarding pass. Sometimes the system will wrongly flag people as terrorists. If you can’t prove that you’re not the terrorist Secure Flight says you are, then you won’t be allowed to board your flight. If you’re caught overseas, the Fourteenth Amendment gives US citizens the right to return to the US while traveling abroad. Under the Immigration and Nationality Act, the US government MUST help a citizen return home. So how does that work? You can contact the local US consul or embassy, or call the State Department Overseas Citizens Services Office, available 24x7 at 202.501.4444. Tell the officer you were denied boarding a flight returning home and that you seek assistance with repatriation. They should be able to help you. Next is screening. TSA screens your body and your bags to find and remove contraband. What’s contraband? Contraband are items you cannot carry with you, either on your person, in your carry-on luggage, or in your checked baggage. TSA keeps an updated list at their website, www.tsa.gov. In 2007, TSA began using Advanced Imaging Technology scanners to facilitate more efficient screening. Using extremely high frequency radio waves, they can detect objects concealed beneath somebody’s clothes. They’re more thorough than a magnetic detector, and they’re quicker than a physical body search. Meanwhile, checked luggage goes through an in-line baggage screening system capable of X-raying tens-of-thousands of bags daily. The process is highly automated. Less than 15% of bags are manually inspected. But TSA security doesn’t end after screening. TSA has about 2400 trained Behavioral Detection Officers roaming the terminals at 87 airports looking for suspicious behavior that might be the sign of a potential terrorist. TSA also invites the help of citizens to report suspicious behavior as part of their “see something say something” campaign. Nor does security end when you finally board your airplane. TSA has an estimated 3,300 Federal Air Marshals flying incognito, ready to take action if violence erupts aboard an aircraft. In effect, TSA security is with you from the moment you book your ticket to the time you depart the airport. Despite the overlapping coverage, TSA is often criticized for being ineffective. Internal audits say they miss more than 85% of the contraband carried by inspectors. Many question whether it’s “true security” or just “security theater”. The same question could be asked about your home door locks. They won’t stop a truly determined burglar, so why have them? The answer is deterrence. They help keep honest people honest. The same can be said for TSA.