TSA’s $900 Million Failure

TSA’s $900 Million Failure

  • By Ginger Hill
  • Nov 13, 2013

After spending approximately $1 billion over the span of about 10 years for a program started by TSA to train agents to spot terrorists and criminals from groups of everyday passengers by observing behaviors that may indicate stress, fear or deception, Congress has determined that the Screening of Passengers by Observation Technique (SPOT) program has yet to prove its effectiveness.

TSA’s $900 Million Failure

Perhaps it was the recent shooting at Los Angeles International Airport that helped trigger this decision, but the Government Accountability Office (GAO) issued a report saying that Congress risks wasting more money on this program if it continues to fund it without scientific proof that it works.

Found within the GAO report, “Twenty-one behavior detection officers at four airports said that some behavioral indicators are subjective and that they are working to better define them.”

Wow! Almost one billion dollars to fund a program that is based on the personal feelings and opinions of “trained” TSA agents…seems like money gone down the drain. However, the Department of Homeland Security does not agree with the recommendation to cease funding of the SPOT program, even though “the study that TSA cites in defending this program was fundamentally flawed,” weighed in Rep. Cedric L. Richmond, the ranking Democrat on the transportation security subcommittee.

What do you think?

Do you agree with the Department of Homeland Security that the program should be salvaged?

Or, because all available evidence and data shows that the program cannot be proven effective and that profiling is “probably no better than chance,” should the program be ceased and the funding used in a different way? What better way can these funds be used?

Sources:

http://www.cnn.com/2013/11/13/politics/tsa-terrorist-observation/index.html

http://news.yahoo.com/tsa-screening-report-181448603.html

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2013/11/tsa-behavior-profiling-not-effective-gao-report-finds/

About the Author

Ginger Hill is Group Social Media Manager.

Featured

  • UL Solutions Launches Artificial Intelligence Safety Certification Services

    UL Solutions Inc., a global leader in safety science, today announced the launch of artificial intelligence (AI) safety certification services, enabling comprehensive assessments for evaluating the safety of AI-powered products. Read Now

  • ESA Announces Initiative to Introduce the SECURE Act in State Legislatures

    The Electronic Security Association (ESA), the national voice for the electronic security and life safety industry, has announced plans to introduce the SECURE Act in state legislatures across the country beginning in 2025. The proposal, known as Safeguarding Election Candidates Using Reasonable Expenditures, provides a clear framework that allows candidates and elected officials to use campaign funds for professional security services. Read Now

    • Guard Services

  • Ransomware Attacks Rise for the First Time in Six Months

    Ransomware attacks have risen for the first time in six months, increasing by 28% month-on-month to 421 attacks. While overall attack volume remained below 500, the uptick may signal a renewed escalation heading into the year’s most active period for cyber criminals. Read Now

  • Report: 47 Percent of Security Service Providers Are Not Yet Using AI or Automation Tools

    Trackforce, a provider of security workforce management platforms, today announced the launch of its 2025 Physical Security Operations Benchmark Report, an industry-first study that benchmarks both private security service providers and corporate security teams side by side. Based on a survey of over 300 security professionals across the globe, the report provides a comprehensive look at the state of physical security operations. Read Now

    • Guard Services

  • Identity Governance at the Crossroads of Complexity and Scale

    Modern enterprises are grappling with an increasing number of identities, both human and machine, across an ever-growing number of systems. They must also deal with increased operational demands, including faster onboarding, more scalable models, and tighter security enforcement. Navigating these ever-growing challenges with speed and accuracy requires a new approach to identity governance that is built for the future enterprise. Read Now

Most   Popular

New Products

  • ResponderLink

    ResponderLink

    Shooter Detection Systems (SDS), an Alarm.com company and a global leader in gunshot detection solutions, has introduced ResponderLink, a groundbreaking new 911 notification service for gunshot events. ResponderLink completes the circle from detection to 911 notification to first responder awareness, giving law enforcement enhanced situational intelligence they urgently need to save lives. Integrating SDS’s proven gunshot detection system with Noonlight’s SendPolice platform, ResponderLink is the first solution to automatically deliver real-time gunshot detection data to 911 call centers and first responders. When shots are detected, the 911 dispatching center, also known as the Public Safety Answering Point or PSAP, is contacted based on the gunfire location, enabling faster initiation of life-saving emergency protocols.

  • Unified VMS

    AxxonSoft introduces version 2.0 of the Axxon One VMS. The new release features integrations with various physical security systems, making Axxon One a unified VMS. Other enhancements include new AI video analytics and intelligent search functions, hardened cybersecurity, usability and performance improvements, and expanded cloud capabilities

  • Connect ONE’s powerful cloud-hosted management platform provides the means to tailor lockdowns and emergency mass notifications throughout a facility – while simultaneously alerting occupants to hazards or next steps, like evacuation.

    Connect ONE®

    Connect ONE’s powerful cloud-hosted management platform provides the means to tailor lockdowns and emergency mass notifications throughout a facility – while simultaneously alerting occupants to hazards or next steps, like evacuation.