|
Airport security screeners need more training, better compensation |
|
|
|
| Peers in U.S. paid based on performance at checkpoints |
| Written by Jennifer Brown, on Tue-March-2008 |
Page 2 of 2
The TSA is also training officers to do passenger behaviour screening.
“The human brain of our officers see two million people a year, so
we’re trying to leverage that capacity to identify individuals who may
show intent to do harm,” says Rossides.
But Gregoire is cautious about adopting screening methods based on behaviour.
“The big fear is that it will turn into racial profiling and we need to make sure we will never do that,” he says.
And while technology can play a role in improving the screening process
and making it faster, Rossides says the human factor is still the most
important.
“We do have a layered/integrated approach, but one of the greatest
assets we have are our people and we are leveraging their knowledge,”
she says.
Using the idea of building on experiences, Duguay says shift briefings
are something he has also considered, which would see screeners share
their experiences together after their day is done.
The TSA’s current target for processing passengers through a screening
checkpoint is 200 people per hour. It’s a target CATSA is considering,
but it will be a significant challenge.
Throughput at Canadian airports varies depending on the airport configuration, says Duguay. "Where we have more room at our disposal the throughput is higher, where passengers are more disciplined, more knowledgeable, there is higher throughput. Having said that, our throughput varies from 100 to 125 passengers an hour, in the Canadian context, especially in the winter time. This means we have to analyze a lot of images so the throughput in the summer may actually be a bit higher."
“It can be done,” says Duguay. “But we need more screeners and better equipment.”
Reducing the time spent getting a passenger through a security
checkpoint continues to be a problem for many reasons including the
reluctance for passengers to accept and understand the limitations on
carrying gels and liquids in carrying on luggage.
CATSA is currently exploring CCTV analytic software from Honeywell that
will help determine how long it takes to move passengers through
security checkpoints at select airports around the country.
Related Items:
- Biometrics gets face time
- Bioscrypt and Labcal partner to enhance security a
- Duguay takes on VP position at CATSA
- Terrorism and its impact on security and privacy t
- Unisys to integrate new ID management system for a
|
