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Travel Detective Actually Approves Of TSA’s New Security Policy

Airlines & Airports, Featured Posts, Latest News & Archives, Safety & Security, Terrorism, Travel Detective Blog, Travel News, Travel Planning, USA — on August 10, 2011 9:10 am
Travel Detective Actually Approves Of TSA’s New Security Policy

Want a controversial new management policy? How about teaching your employees to think and ask pointed questions?

The TSA is doing just that and for once the Travel Detective agrees with them. Read his blog to find out why.

The Transportation Security Administration is turning things around a little bit in Boston. They have started something new. They call it controversial, which is a word they use for everything. In fact, the TSA calls the word “screening” controversial. But, I think their new policy isn’t controversial at all. It’s actually common sense this time.

Starting in Boston they are going to be screening people based on behavior. They are going to focus their attention on suspicious behavior, and not the answers to stupid questions or X-ray machines.

The new program is based partly on the Israeli model that relies on having a simple conversation. 
This goes back even further to interview techniques that have been used for years by homicide detectives. For example, if I think you’ve killed somebody I’m not going to say, “Did you kill them?” because you will say “no” and the conversation ends. I will ask a question that can’t be answered by yes or no. I’ll ask, “What did you do with the gun?” If you answer that question, we have something to talk about.

Learn more: Analyzing Post-9/11 Travel Safety & Security: Airports, Trains, International Hotels & Beyond

Until now I could walk into an airport in Florida in August wearing seven trench coats, five mufflers, goulashes, and six sweaters. And as long as I passed through the metal detector, nobody would be required to ask me a question.

How stupid is that?

TSA's Pro-Vision X-ray machineThink about the underwear bomber in December 2009 who showed up at the airport in Amsterdam with a T-shirt, no bags, and no luggage in the middle of the winter.

Now, they are going to do something they should have done a long time ago.  Now, they are training more TSA officers to exercise their ability to t-h-i-n-k. They are training them to observe and listen. They are training them to ask more than yes or no questions.

The TSA should get credit for at least trying this pilot program.

They call it a pilot program because they haven’t dealt with a certain reality: volume.

The Israelis have been able to do this successfully for years because they only have one flight a day out of New York and one flight a day out of Chicago. There are maybe 350 passengers, so they have enough staff to have a conversation.

When you’re dealing with 300,000 passengers a day out of Miami, where is the staff to do that? And how do you manage the lines? And who’s bringing the tea and cookies? Because you’re going to be chatting for a while.

The bottom line is that the TSA should at least be commended for trying. You know what they’re going to find? It works. Half the time when terrorists when were interrogated after an incident, they couldn’t answer where they were going or what they were going to do there. That should tell you something. If you don’t know where you’re going, why are you at the airport?

By Peter Greenberg for PeterGreenberg.com.

Related links on PeterGreenberg.com:

  • SB

    There’s one small detail however: why should I be under any obligation to answer questions of a government agent regarding my domestic travel plans? Will declining to answer any questions about my plans, who I am visiting, and where I am staying trigger the TSO to perform additional and invasive screening?

  • http://www.facebook.com/sommer.gentry Sommer Gentry

    And what about the small detail of the required public comment period?  TSA’s already been smacked down once in federal court for breaking federal law by failing to obtain public comment on screening changes.  TSA is a criminal organization flouting laws against child pornography and sexual assault on a daily basis.  I have absolutely nothing to say to any ignorant bullying molesting peeping-Tom blue shirt, and as far as I’m concerned I’m in danger getting anywhere near those thugs.  I’ll drive or take Amtrak until the rule of law is restored to American airports.  Greenberg opinion fail.

  • http://www.facebook.com/sommer.gentry Sommer Gentry

    And what about the small detail of the required public comment period?  TSA’s already been smacked down once in federal court for breaking federal law by failing to obtain public comment on screening changes.  TSA is a criminal organization flouting laws against child pornography and sexual assault on a daily basis.  I have absolutely nothing to say to any ignorant bullying molesting peeping-Tom blue shirt, and as far as I’m concerned I’m in danger getting anywhere near those thugs.  I’ll drive or take Amtrak until the rule of law is restored to American airports.  Greenberg opinion fail.

  • Mafaboshi

    TSA is a joke. They are a bunch of dim witted egomaniacs who enjoy flaunting their power on the innocent traveling Americans. You bring up the case of the underwear bomber who was developmentally delayed, drugged, and escorted on to the plane. They are out of control and violate the constitution with their illegal searches and seizures, and need to be stopped. Huge opinion fail

  • SAM

    As far as I’m concerned, TSA stands for Totally Stupid Assholes. What they have done to me is legion despite having no criminal record. The worst was when I arrived at the airport having just had surgery the day before where my toe was amputated. I was in a wheelchair with a heavily bandaged foot and in a surgical shoe. I made the big mistake of standing to go through the metal detector for expediency. When the zippers on my track suit legs (to facilitate getting the pants on and off) set off the metal detector, what TSA did to me after that was criminal including pressing on the wound! The beautiful, hair-line suture opened up and I could see the blood coming out of the bandage. Since I would otherwise have missed my flight, I bled all the way back to my mother’s where I was to recover and go swimming in two weeks, according to the surgeon. Instead, it took 2 months and bandage changes 3 times a day for the wound to finally close. Is TSA protecting my life and well-being? Not on my life. PS I could find no attorney who wanted to take on the US government.

  • http://www.punjabdetective.com/ Detective in Chandigarh

    Amazing stuff.!!! I would love to visit more and more here. As Mafaboshi said, they are out of control and violate the constitution with their illegal
    searches and seizures, and need to be stopped. Huge opinion failed.