TSA Could Widen Privatization Next Year

Look up there at the front of the line leading to the passenger concourse. Who are those people running the bag scanner, telling us to take our shoes off and generally putting their hands where even our spouses won't go without asking permission. Are they federal workers, or are they private security types?

Are you sure?

Congress Daily reports private companies -- derided on Capitol Hill and generally across the country since the 9-11 attacks -- are back in business at five airports around the country. Under a new TSA pilot program, most of the companies involved in the effort hope to renew their contract this November for another 12 months.  "We've put everything we have to show we can do this," said Robert Coe, president and chief executive officer of Covenant Aviation Security, which is providing screening at San Francisco International (CA) and Tupelo (MS) airports. The company says it's drawn on its experience with securing Energy Department facilities, experience which provides "the best model of strong government oversight and guidance," Coe said.

The pilot program has gone well for ITS (which becomes FirstLine Transportation Security next weekend) there have been "some bumps along the way" in getting the new program in place on a tight timeline "with no road map," said John DeMell, the company's president. But, he said, the partnership continues to work through the issues and the company is interested in future work at other airports.

The TSA Believes.

The TSA is "confident that the private companies are providing the appropriate level of security," said spokesman Brian Turmail. Not only is the TSA conducting aggressive undercover inspections that regularly try to spoof security checkers, the agency is conducting a comprehensive review of the program, he said. Results of those tests will not be made public.

Congressman John Mica (R-FL),  "The key difference is that before September 11, airlines were in charge of security—and they had a vested interest in cutting corners," said a Mica spokesman. [Not to mention an interest in making their own airline safer than everyone else's, within the federal guidelines, which were not -- repeat, not -- breached on September 11 --ed.] Screeners were under-trained, under-paid and overworked, and standards varied depending on the airport, he added.

Mica has asked the Homeland Security Department's inspector general to do an independent assessment of the Transportation Security Administration's federal screening process. And he has also requested that GAO review the airport baggage screening before and after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

But not everyone is satisfied that a return to private screeners will be any better for passenger security in the long run. The American Federation of Government Employees has "grave concerns" [not to mention their own vested interest --ed.] about the idea, said union spokeswoman Diane Witiak. If screening is contracted out, Witiak said it resurrects some of the same problems that existed before federal screeners were installed at the nation's airports. "Airport security should be handled by the federal government, not for profit at the expense of the flying public," she said. She did not elaborate on how the federal employees were getting paid.

FMI: www.tsa.gov