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Government/Legislation
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TSA implements random airport employee screening operation
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) announced in mid March the implementation of an employee screening program. TSA Administrator Kip Hawley said, “Every employee should have a reasonable expectation that they could be screened at any time, at any access point within the footprint of the airport.”
The operation deployed 160 transportation officers, aviation security inspectors, federal air marshals, and other personnel to increase current employee and passenger security capabilities at Orlando International, Tampa International, Miami International and Ft. Lauderdale/Hollywood International airports in the United States, as well as at Luis Munoz Marin International Airport in San Juan, Puerto Rico. TSA first began randomly screening airport employees last year at 20 airports. Now, traveling officers screen employees nationwide on a random and unannounced basis.
The security enhancements will focus on employees working in airport security areas; limiting area access at certain times; auditing door access for suspicious activity; deploying federal air marshals, K-9 teams, law enforcement and transportation security officers; conducting random screening, including behavior detection at boarding gates for employees and passengers; and random inspection of aircraft.
TSA will move unannounced to other regions in the coming weeks and months. The agency has developed a longer-term plan with its airport and airline partners for the entire U.S. aviation system.
Source: Transportation Security Administration
