GovernmentExecutive.com

Airport screeners are not getting all of the training they need, nor is their performance monitored on a regular basis, according to a new General Accounting Office report.

In a preliminary review of the federalized screener workforce, GAO found that the Transportation Security Administration has not deployed a "recurrent or supervisory training program to ensure that screeners are effectively trained and supervised." The report (GAO-03-1173) goes on to say that TSA "collects little information to measure screener performance in detecting threat objects."

GAO, however, gives the agency credit for taking some steps to address these areas, such as designing an annual retraining program and forging a partnership with the Agriculture Department Graduate School to develop a training course for supervisors.

"GAO says that we need to come up with more training programs. We are doing that," said TSA spokesman Nico Melendez. The agency is also deploying a three-part evaluation system for its screener workforce, according to spokesman Brian Turmail. About 28,000 screeners have completed two phases of the evaluation. Roughly 3 percent of the 50,000 screeners in the agency have been fired for failing to pass different portions of the test, Turmail said.

At the time of its review, GAO was not aware of the evaluation process, according to Cathleen Berrick, GAO's acting director of homeland security and justice issues. She said GAO will continue to monitor the situation as its investigation continues. The agency is scheduled to issue a more comprehensive report on airport screening in April.

Screeners in Boston, Washington, and Norfolk interviewed by Government Executive earlier this month said they have not received refresher training. They were also unclear about what system of measurement would be used to gauge their performance. GAO found similar results in its investigation.

GAO reported that TSA plans to deploy the first of six modules for recurring training in October. The remaining five are expected to be introduced next year.

To monitor performance, TSA sends out covert teams that try to sneak objects past passenger screeners. But the agency conducts far fewer such tests than the Federal Aviation Administration did when it was responsible for overseeing airport security, according to GAO. TSA officials said its tests are more rigorous.

Test results do not measure an individual screener's overall performance, but provide a "snapshot" of a screener's ability to detect a weapon at a specific time, TSA officials told GAO.

Classified portions of GAO's analysis suggest that weapons are still making their way past screeners, according to Gary Burns, a spokesman for Rep. John Mica, R-Fla., chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Aviation Subcommittee. Mica requested the investigation.

Some of the security breaches are the result of inadequate technology, Burns added. "The report illustrates that we need to be making better use of our resources," said Burns. "Do we want TSA to spend time managing a workforce or getting better technology?"

Mica had opposed federalizing the screener workforce in the first place. He helped win passage of a provision in the law creating TSA that permits airports to opt out of the federal program and hire private screeners starting in November 2004. TSA is required to develop a program describing how airports can exercise that flexibility.

"We want them to have the program ready soon, so airports can move quickly to the new system," said Burns. "The reality is that TSA has moved along like a lumbering bureaucracy and has been slow to adapt. We are concerned that TSA will not be ready to work with airports when the time comes."

Before developing the opt-out program, TSA wants to evaluate five airports involved in a pilot program allowing them to use private screeners. The airports were initially required to follow the same training and staffing models as federalized airports, but some of those restrictions have been lifted recently. TSA expects to hire a contractor in the next week to review performance at the five airports.

"I want to hear what [officials at airports in the pilot program] are thinking. What would they vary?" TSA Administrator James Loy said during a recent interview with Government Executive. "I want to be honest and objective about putting the data on the table so they can make good decisions."

COMMENTS

• The test to become a TSA screener is to say the least unfair,to some it up best.I can see why the current TSA associate is having trouble performing his or her job screening duties, if the test is any indication of the training we as airport traveler's better start taking the bus or the train. al balseiro Posted July 18, 2007 10:53 AM
• The training provided by TSA leaves little to be desired!!!! I know because I work at a major airport where training is left up to the screener to do during their break time--excuse me, but after constantly breaking my back getting hundreds of passengers through one lane at the multi-lane checkpoint the last thing I want to do on MY break (when we finally get one) is spend time looking at a computer that doesn't even show the right way to do things!!!!!! I've been told by a supervisor that it is my responsibility to make time for training. This is the attitude of management. Obviously no one has made it clear the duties of this level. According to the ATSA law it is the responsibility of management and supervisors to ensure adequate training of its personnel and they are not doing it!!! I'm to go through the recertification process soon and the methods I'm going to be tested on are not the way I was trained by Lockheed Martin!! What will happen to me if I do the procedures the way I was taught?? I'll be fired, not because I'm a bad screener but because of TSA's failure to provide adequate training and clear steps on the methods they want utilized!!! GovExec.com reader Posted January 2, 2004 1:28 PM
• Hello, anybody remember 9-11? Us Americans have extremely short memories, we can hide behind the idea that "we will not dwell on the past" and "the best way to show the terrorists that we are not afraid is to keep going on with our lives". The fact is that we forgot! We are tired of taking a little extra time to check our bags and "we should not have to remove our shoes!", so what do we do? We attack a profession who is in place for our safety. Is there room for improvement? Of course. Are there things that can be done diffrently? Of course. TSA has only been in the airports for one year, there are improvements happening everyday. If you think that the opt out clause is going to save goverment money, you are extremely naive. The goverment will more than likely subsidize airports who choose to opt out. (if they are not already) and what they don't get from the goverment they will get from higher ticket cost, airport taxes... TSA employees vary from housewives who are getting back into the work force to CPA's, individuals with master degrees, retired military (good enough to die for our country but not competent to protect our airports--seems funny to me). I hear alot of talk about how TSA is busy searching the Americans and not the Middle Eastern passengers. I believe they check everybody. Oh yeah Timothy McVeigh, he was a white American, or did we forget about him? Unabomber ring any bells? GovExec.com reader Posted November 11, 2003 11:33 PM