Posted on Jun 1, 2015
Were you aware of TSA's 95% failure rate to detect concealed weapons? What needs to be done to correct this problem?
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TSA chief out is after screeners fail 95 percent of tests 3:26
The acting head of the Transportation Security Administration was reassigned Monday after an internal investigation by the Department of Homeland Security found security failures at dozens of the nation's busiest airports. The breaches allowed undercover investigators to smuggle weapons, fake explosives and other contraband through numerous checkpoints.
Melvin Carraway, an 11-year veteran of the TSA who became acting administrator in January, was immediately reassigned to a DHS program coordinating with local law enforcement agencies, DHS Secretary Jeh Johnson said Monday night. Coast Guard Vice Adm. Pete Neffenger's nomination to be permanent administrator is awaiting Senate confirmation.
Upon learning the initial findings of the Office of Inspector General's report, Johnson immediately directed TSA to implement a series of other actions, several of which are now in place, agency officials said.
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TSA chief out is after screeners fail 95 percent of tests 3:26
The acting head of the Transportation Security Administration was reassigned Monday after an internal investigation by the Department of Homeland Security found security failures at dozens of the nation's busiest airports. The breaches allowed undercover investigators to smuggle weapons, fake explosives and other contraband through numerous checkpoints.
Melvin Carraway, an 11-year veteran of the TSA who became acting administrator in January, was immediately reassigned to a DHS program coordinating with local law enforcement agencies, DHS Secretary Jeh Johnson said Monday night. Coast Guard Vice Adm. Pete Neffenger's nomination to be permanent administrator is awaiting Senate confirmation.
Upon learning the initial findings of the Office of Inspector General's report, Johnson immediately directed TSA to implement a series of other actions, several of which are now in place, agency officials said.
Image: Acting TSA Administrator Melvin Carraway
Acting TSA Administrator Melvin Carraway discusses an attack by a man with a machete at the New Orleans airport in March as other law enforcement officials look on.Reuters
In one case, an alarm sounded, but even during a pat-down, the screening officer failed to detect a fake plastic explosive taped to an undercover agent's back. In all, so-called "Red Teams" of Homeland Security agents posing as passengers were able get weapons past TSA agents in 67 out of 70 tests — a 95 percent failure rate, according to agency officials.
"The numbers in these reports never look good out of context, but they are a critical element in the continual evolution of our aviation security," Homeland Security officials said in a statement.
Read More: http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/investigation-breaches-us-airports-allowed-weapons-through-n367851
TSA chief out is after screeners fail 95 percent of tests 3:26
The acting head of the Transportation Security Administration was reassigned Monday after an internal investigation by the Department of Homeland Security found security failures at dozens of the nation's busiest airports. The breaches allowed undercover investigators to smuggle weapons, fake explosives and other contraband through numerous checkpoints.
Melvin Carraway, an 11-year veteran of the TSA who became acting administrator in January, was immediately reassigned to a DHS program coordinating with local law enforcement agencies, DHS Secretary Jeh Johnson said Monday night. Coast Guard Vice Adm. Pete Neffenger's nomination to be permanent administrator is awaiting Senate confirmation.
Upon learning the initial findings of the Office of Inspector General's report, Johnson immediately directed TSA to implement a series of other actions, several of which are now in place, agency officials said.
Facebook Twitter Google PlusEmbed
TSA chief out is after screeners fail 95 percent of tests 3:26
The acting head of the Transportation Security Administration was reassigned Monday after an internal investigation by the Department of Homeland Security found security failures at dozens of the nation's busiest airports. The breaches allowed undercover investigators to smuggle weapons, fake explosives and other contraband through numerous checkpoints.
Melvin Carraway, an 11-year veteran of the TSA who became acting administrator in January, was immediately reassigned to a DHS program coordinating with local law enforcement agencies, DHS Secretary Jeh Johnson said Monday night. Coast Guard Vice Adm. Pete Neffenger's nomination to be permanent administrator is awaiting Senate confirmation.
Upon learning the initial findings of the Office of Inspector General's report, Johnson immediately directed TSA to implement a series of other actions, several of which are now in place, agency officials said.
Image: Acting TSA Administrator Melvin Carraway
Acting TSA Administrator Melvin Carraway discusses an attack by a man with a machete at the New Orleans airport in March as other law enforcement officials look on.Reuters
In one case, an alarm sounded, but even during a pat-down, the screening officer failed to detect a fake plastic explosive taped to an undercover agent's back. In all, so-called "Red Teams" of Homeland Security agents posing as passengers were able get weapons past TSA agents in 67 out of 70 tests — a 95 percent failure rate, according to agency officials.
"The numbers in these reports never look good out of context, but they are a critical element in the continual evolution of our aviation security," Homeland Security officials said in a statement.
Read More: http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/investigation-breaches-us-airports-allowed-weapons-through-n367851
Security
Leadership
US Department of Homeland Security
Homeland Security
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 23
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1LT Kathleen Heisler
It depends on the size of the airport. We had to take training yearly on detecting things that were on the x-Ray screen. Trust me people cram enough stuff in their carry on. If the screener was unsure of an item in the bag they stopped the x-Ray belt and call another screener to do a full search of the bag. You can get all the new equipment but if the operator still has to know how to run it and to know what to look for. As for hiring a private company to run the check points, they were doing it before TSA came and took it over.
On how to fix the problem, yes there are some employees some of them should not be there maybe change the hiring practices and pre-testing to hire. I really don't an answer for you
On how to fix the problem, yes there are some employees some of them should not be there maybe change the hiring practices and pre-testing to hire. I really don't an answer for you
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Sounds to me like better training is the first order of business. Perhaps pat-down/search tecniques taught by civilian/military/federal law enforcement.
Another thing, HIRE MORE VETERANS. Preferably veterans with specific experience. MP experience or infantry types who have deployed to Iraq/Afghanistan and have road block, vehicle, and personnel search experience.
Lastly, and this may not work for all TSA workers, but perhaps for supervisors who are at security check points, consider arming TSA agents after they have been through the proper training.
Another thing, HIRE MORE VETERANS. Preferably veterans with specific experience. MP experience or infantry types who have deployed to Iraq/Afghanistan and have road block, vehicle, and personnel search experience.
Lastly, and this may not work for all TSA workers, but perhaps for supervisors who are at security check points, consider arming TSA agents after they have been through the proper training.
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SPC (Join to see)
lulz, I think your down-vote was for arming the TSA. I think they need to earn the ability to use deadly force when they can show that the organization is at-least mildly effective at doing ANYTHING.
Please, hire vets. Maybe I should look into the TSA.
Please, hire vets. Maybe I should look into the TSA.
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SSgt (Join to see)
Love it, except for the arming them. Most of them are incompetent and pay no attention to their surroundings. Even if properly trained to use the firearm themselves, it wont take them long to get complacent and be vulnerable to being disarmed. I would be fine giving them a taser or some pepper spray though.
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PO1 John Miller
1LT Kathleen Heisler, would you care to explain the down-vote? You've got the courage to press that little button but not the courage to explain yourself? If you want respect you have to stand behind your reasoning and explain yourself before you get called out, kind of like I am doing right now.
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considering that they tend to hire the "lowest common denominator" for their gates, I am not surprised. I attempted to get on w/ TSA as a TSO, however, was told that it would only be part time, at a rate of about 19 hrs/wk. There is no way I could accept that job.
How do they expect to attract trained security personnel at that rate?
How do they expect to attract trained security personnel at that rate?
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SSgt (Join to see)
That part-time thing was TSA wide. Initially, all of the screener positions are part-time. On top of that, a lot of their training was pencil-whipped.
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I fly about 100,000 miles a year and have done so for about the last 18 years so I see the TSA a lot. The entire enterprise is a ruse to make us feel safe but we are really not much better then pre 9/11.
The TSA applies the same security to everyone regardless of possible threat. We spend lots of time checking everyone the same way and the system is not set up to catch much. I am in the TSA pre check program too so I get expedited security which is better only because it is faster.
It needs a complete rework with a focus on identifying likely threats and checking them well and providing limited checks to non threats. I say privatize it, set standards for service for private agencies and let them do it. We will have fewer people doing a better job much faster.
The TSA applies the same security to everyone regardless of possible threat. We spend lots of time checking everyone the same way and the system is not set up to catch much. I am in the TSA pre check program too so I get expedited security which is better only because it is faster.
It needs a complete rework with a focus on identifying likely threats and checking them well and providing limited checks to non threats. I say privatize it, set standards for service for private agencies and let them do it. We will have fewer people doing a better job much faster.
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Capt Seid Waddell
Cpl Jeff Neely, one of the greatest problems TSA has in my opinion is that it is shackled by terminal political correctness; they avoid effective inspection methods such as the Israelis use because they offend liberals' sensitivities.
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Cpl Jeff N.
Capt Seid Waddell . I agree Captain. We treat everyone the same which means we don't spend the right amount of time with likely or possible threats. Someone could call that profiling and the PC police would be all over it.
We know the profile of most terrorists. That doesn't mean it cannot change or morph over time so there needs to be intelligence applied to but there are very few Grandmothers and children and frequent travelers and Moms from Spokane hijacking planes but based upon how we apply security you might think so.
We know the profile of most terrorists. That doesn't mean it cannot change or morph over time so there needs to be intelligence applied to but there are very few Grandmothers and children and frequent travelers and Moms from Spokane hijacking planes but based upon how we apply security you might think so.
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Abolish the TSA and contract with professional security firms that screen and train their people and hold them accountable to standards. The TSA is a government agency and has the same standards as the US Postal Service which is why they continually lose money. These agencies are full of bureaucracy and breed inefficiency. They have their own union which makes it impossible to fire anybody so they just get passed around. These yahoo's at the TSA allow people in burkas and turbins to walk thru unmolested while they pull everybody else aside for "random" searches. The TSA is a deadly joke!!
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Were you aware of TSA's 95% failure rate to detect concealed weapons? What needs to be done to...
Facebook Twitter Google PlusEmbed TSA chief out is after screeners fail 95 percent of tests 3:26 The acting head of the Transportation Security Administration was reassigned Monday after an internal investigation by the Department of Homeland Security found security failures at dozens of the nation's busiest airports. The breaches allowed undercover investigators to smuggle weapons, fake explosives and other contraband through numerous...
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I don't have kind words for TSA. Many of them are over zealous idiots. Maybe if they weren't too concerned with checking everyone's groin area to including children and trying to make disabled people get up and walk from their wheel chairs, they can educate themselves and catch some of these red flags.
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SSG (ret) William Martin
When ever I have dealt with the TSA I am cooperate and I am super polite. I do not want to be one those people who get a beaten behind doors or misses my flight because someone wants to be a Drill Sergeant.
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All it takes is to find that 5% and they are doing their job. However, only 5% does not justify their budget or manning. Maybe start stripping them of their funding and manning and see how well they will start doing their jobs.
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Capt Seid Waddell
MSgt (Join to see), exactly. Or perhaps taking it out of the hands of the politicians and putting it under the control of the military.
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MSgt (Join to see)
I prefer your options sir. Both of them. I would come back out of retirement to do this.
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Capt Seid Waddell
MSgt (Join to see), what a great idea! It is a job that those of us with too many miles on the odometer for active duty can still do!
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First and foremost, the Federal Employment System, as an over-arching system, is fat. WAY too fat. Almost everything that is part of the federal system needs to be privatized with a streamlined government oversight to ensure WELL OUTLINED/DEFINED STANDARDS are being met or exceeded. IRS....FAT. TSA....FAT. Homeland security....what the hell??!! Pentagon....FAT. I will show an example of how things COULD work (keep in mind that this is a MUCH smaller scale....): Malmstrom AFB has been talking about having an indoor swimming pool since AT LEAST 1997 (we are northern tier, so swimming is only good for 2-3 months). Base built a new Fitness center, complete with PLANS for swimming pool..... Everything done except the pool (and in fact, the building climate control/humidity was designed around the pool being there...so the air is bone dry without one). Enter Privatized housing.... THEY built a community center on base complete with indoor swimming pool (of course, only open to on base residence or their guests....so does me no good). They have been here 2-3 years. They are a contract to the government, with government oversight to ensure standards, but they are DOING. Get security out of the government's hands. I bet security would improve.
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TSgt David L.
They need to hire QUALIFIED screeners. Certain career fields are trained to do the job. They are skilled at X-Ray and IED interpretation and recognition and are underemployed at the entry level jobs within the TSA IF they get hired at all. Instead, they hire TSA employees that are already in the system and promote them. You get what you pay for...
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