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Word to the wise: try to keep from talking to yourself, sweating excessively or hyperventilating the next time you pass through security at O'Hare. [Ed. note: You might want to avoid those things, oh, all the time.] In light of this fall's news that TSA screeners had missed about 60 % of hidden bomb materials that were sneaked through security by tiger teams at O'Hare, the TSA is upgrading its strategy and employing new "psychological tactics." Sounds creepy, right? Really, it just means that screeners are now on the lookout for strange behavior.
A new Trib report scrutinizes the scrutinizers, evaluating the new SPOT (Screening Passengers by Observation Technique) method that "elite" airport security screeners are testing. The behavior detectors are looking for "extraordinary stress and fear, or signs of deception during questioning" (textbook terrorist behavior), and anything that might seem typical of a terrorist scouting mission, or worse.
Here's the money quote from TSA administrator Kip Hawley: "While we still need to screen baggage and carry-on items, the real focus is on people and creating a new layer of unpredictability at the security checkpoints." Unpredictability? That's just about the last element you want to throw into the mix in the place where you've already got to remove and replace your belt, shoes and the contents of your pockets (not to mention the laptop nonsense) in less than 30 seconds.
At best, it will catch the occasional miscreant or potential terrorist, and at worst it will single out and harass uptight commodities traders exhibiting strange behavior. But isn't this what we expected the TSA to be doing all along? -- Mark Boyer
TSA dude catching some zzzzs by TheeErin
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i posted about the woman who got pushed onto the tracks of the subway in new york on my blog and a friend of mine who works in law enforcement in AK said that he heard that there was going to be some sort of computer that was going to be used in subways in london and such that would work out an algorithm to sort of decipher unusual or erratic behavior to avoid things like people getting pushed onto the tracks and things.
it just seems like another one of a plethora of ways we're being hawked. and i still haven't figured out if i should make an honest effort to fight it in some way, or if i'm already in so fucking deep that i should give up the fight.
i also saw this special on msnbc or something (funny that i managed to catch that amidst all my trash tv watching) that was about all the myriad ways we're being watched ... from the obvious security cameras everywhere to the hidden dots our printers/digital cameras produce to all sorts of huge database people can access that we don't really even know exist. not to mention all the stuff that people can find on google searches if they know what they're looking for. ouch.
So, these TSA screeners, who start at 23,000/year, are going to have 64 hours in training to spot potential terrorists using their new gift of psychological know-how? Psychological profiling is mediocre at best, as good as a psychic prediction at worst. This is just another duck and cover tactic. And I do not buy the idea that "if you are innocent, you'll have nothing to hide" crap either.
More of what Bruce Schneier calls "cover your ass security." God, I hate our government.
The techniques of El Al airlines and of the Tel Aviv airport security staff have proven themselves to be extremely effective in picking out individuals who are likely terrorists.
Here in the U.S., however, we are so paralyzed by political correctness that we will not use the Israelis' methods. The proposed new "SPOT" method is a step in the right direction but a very feeble step, in part because of what was said above, i.e., the $23,000 per year salary level. The Israeli's pay well...and you get what you pay for.
The SPOT technique, a half-hearted program to be executed by second-rate screeners, is not going to come close in efficiency to the Israeli's program. Furthermore, it is going to draw complaints, to the delight of politically correct critics. And I'll bet Grandma will still have take off her sneakers.
Ward up
The differnce is that in Israel security is a profession not a crap job. The level of training is not even comparable. It is unfortanate but there is a lax attitude in this country about security. No I dont want to live in a police state either but political correctness is going to cost some people there lives.
What is worse...
The sleeper or the female TSA worker spanking herself in the same photo?
To JoeM: I think that's CPD, not TSA. But that kind of butt-touching behavior better come under the heading of "extrodinary stress or fear."
And Sparky, you're right that the 'if you're innocent, don't worry about it." If you are innocent, just stressed about making your flight, or one of many loopy people out there, you might miss a flight, be extremely embarrassed or scared shitless by the TSA. (the question needs to be: when and how is that acceptable to keep us all safe, and when is it not.)
Why don't we do this: When you get to the airport you go to a supervised changing room where you are required to change into a hospital-style paper gown. When you get on the plane, a same-sex security gaurd lifts up the gown and makes sure you have no contraband. And you take a quick walk through a metal detector.
Essentially, we all fly naked. Can you imagine how much time, money and stress--not to mention lives--this would save?
It's like the story about NASA spending millions of dollars on a pen that would write in outer space and someone finally suggested a pencil! (Which I'm sure is an urban legend.)
I think that the new X-ray machines they are coming out with at airport security checkpoints--the ones that basically show everyone's naughty bits to the TSA--are over the top.
How much terrorism has really been stopped by the TSA? How many plots have been foiled by the TSA? The lives saved, I think, have come from good policing and intelligence (such as the British intelligence that uncovered the plot a year ago. They never even got to the airport to be screened).
But, the US really lacking in intelligence. Instead, we make rules that violate our freedoms and procedures that inconvenience others that don't appear to be effective. It is well documented that the TSA we have is ineffective, but instead of changing the infrastructure, we do this.
I have another suggestion -- we go back to the way things were before 9/11.
Yeah you know what?
The very sad truth is that we had many of the necessary security measures in place on September 11, 2001. When Moqed and Hazmi entered security checkpoints at Washington Dulles, their concealed box cutters triggered the proper alarms.
Ok so the technology worked.
Baggage screeners were SUPPOSED to have followed-through by locating and removing the alarm-triggering items.
But they didn't.