Posted on 08/03/2011 2:49:13 PM PDT by EBH
Passengers flying through Boston’s Logan International Airport will notice the security screeners are chattier than usual, but it’s not an improved customer service policy.
On Tuesday the Transportation Security Administration began a test-run at Logan of its SPOT program, which stands for Screening of Passengers by Observation Techniques...
“...The vast majority of passengers will experience a casual greeting conversation with the BDO as they go through identity verification,” a TSA spokesperson said. “A small portion of passengers may get selected for an extended, but still limited conversation.”
Since its creation in 2007, TSA’s SPOT program has grown almost fifteen-fold. As of May 2010, about 3,000 BDOs were deployed at 161 airports nationwide at an annual cost of more than $200 million.
So far, after three years of operation and almost $1 billion spent, SPOT has never been scientifically proven effective and has never caught one actual terrorist...
...According to information provided by TSA to Nature magazine, BDOs referred more than 232,000 people for secondary screening during the SPOT program’s first phase, from January 2006 through to November 2009. Secondary screening involves closer inspection of bags and testing for explosives.
The vast majority of those subjected to extra inspection continued with no further delays. But 1,710 were arrested, which the TSA points to as evidence of the program’s effectiveness.
In other words, less than 1 percent of referrals lead to an arrest. And most arrests were for criminal activity, such as outstanding warrants or illegal citizenship status. One man was arrested in 2008 after BDOs stopped him at Orlando International Airport while he was carrying explosive components. In 2007 TSA stopped another man who was carrying a loaded handgun at Baltimore-Washington International.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
>> I’ve always thought TSA should use the Vegas model. Friendly front line screeners who smile and visit with the people.
That’s what it was like in Charlotte. No grilling, in fact no questioning at all; just friendly chit-chat and banter and eye contact.
Schiphol was easy to go through. They didn't have any of the JBT garbage that we put up with here. The problem with their "security" screening was that we still had to put up with the low-life TSA imbeciles in Atlanta after landing.
Schiphol was easy to go through. They didn't have any of the JBT garbage that we put up with here. The problem with their "security" screening was that we still had to put up with the low-life TSA imbeciles in Atlanta after landing.
You must be kidding. I went through there in '04 and stupidly admitted that I had a dive knife in my checked bag. They stopped loading the airplane, pulled my bag off, and checked for the knife.
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