Aims To Swap Roles Of Contractors, Agency Employees

A change may be coming to security checkpoints at airports throughout the nation... and Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff believes it's about time.

In an interview Sunday, Chertoff (right) said he intends to replace the private contractors who inspect passenger IDs with TSA staff members trained in psychological profiling -- and put contracted employees on more labor intensive tasks.

The New York Times reports final details of the plan are still being worked out -- but adds Chertoff expects to announce the change in the next few weeks or months.

"It is going to require a larger conversation," said TSA spokeswoman Ellen Howe on Chertoff's proposal. "We would like to consider shifting responsibility [of agency staff] from baggage handling to security."

Currently, contractors who handle what's called precheckpoint processing -- the persons who check your ID and boarding pass, and then direct you to the shortest (in theory) screening line -- are hired by the airlines. TSA employees then handle the actual screening... while also performing the labor-intensive task of placing checked luggage into scanning machines.

Under the new plan, TSA employees would be placed in roles most vital to determining potential threats... while contracted employees would, essentially, perform the heavy lifting roles -- like putting checked bags through imaging machines, which would still be monitored by TSA employees.

"Since last week when the level increased, we have devoted extra resources to assist with the ticket checker functions to have that behavior observation going on at the front of the line," Howe said. "We are going to consider expanding it."

FMI: www.tsa.gov