Thu, Sep 23, 2004
TSA Pushes New Security Technology at Airport Passenger
Checkpoints
In a significant technology
advancement, the TSA Wednesday announced the deployment at three
additional major airports of a new Explosives Trace Detection
Document Scanner that can "sniff" passenger documents such as
boarding passes and drivers' licenses for traces of explosives. The
airports are Los Angeles International (LAX), New York's John F.
Kennedy (JFK) and Chicago's O'Hare International (ORD).
"TSA is committed to deploying new explosives detection
technologies to passenger security checkpoints to safeguard the
traveling public," said Rear Admiral David M. Stone, USN (Ret.),
Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security for TSA. "TSA continues to
lead the way in utilizing the latest emerging technologies with
various pilots to screen both passengers and air cargo for
explosives."
The pilot program was first unveiled two weeks ago at Ronald
Reagan Washington National Airport. Tests will be conducted for a
minimum of 30 days at each airport.
The Document Scanner analyzes samples collected by swiping the
surface of a document over a collection disc and alerts the
screener if explosives residue is detected. During the pilot,
passengers selected for secondary screening at particular
checkpoints will have their boarding passes scanned. If the
Document Scanner alarms, additional screening procedures will be
implemented.
This pilot is one in a series of next-generation tools being
tested by TSA including explosives trace detection portals, which
are being tested in four airports with nearly a dozen more to come
online in the next year. Also, the Registered Traveler Pilot
Program, in place at five airports, is another innovative
instrument to improve security through identity verification. And,
in the air cargo arena, a six-airport test is using bulk Explosives
Detection Systems (EDS) to screen elevated risk cargo.
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