Tue, Aug 15, 2006
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."
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