TSA behavior detection program
 

Just noticed this linked on Drudge...

The federal government is planning to introduce new behavior detection techniques at airport checkpoints as soon as next month, Transportation Security Administration chief John Pistole said Thursday.

TSA already has "behavior detection officers" at 161 airports nationwide looking for travelers exhibiting physiological or psychological signs that a traveler might be a terrorist. However, Pistole said TSA is preparing to move to an approach that employs more conversation with travelers—a method that has been employed with great success in Israel.

"I'm very much interested in expanding the behavior detection program, upgrading it if you will, in a way that allows us to….have more interaction with a passsenger just from a discussion which may be able to expedite the physical screening aspects," Pistole said during an appearance at the Aspen Security Forum in Colorado. "So, we’ve looked at what works around the world, some outstanding examples and we are planning to do some new things in the near future here."

http://www.politico.com/blogs/joshge...ckpoints.html#

Cue "Traveler annoyed by TSA stupidity and prevented from flying" story in 3 ... 2 ... 1.

Oh, goodie. More money wasted on harassing screeners that we don't have to talk to anyway. :rolleyes:

A thousand times on the blackboard, John Pistole:

TLV-style security is not scalable to what we have in the States

I really wish he would quit pandering by saying things will get better when we do what the Israelis do, because it just can't effectively be done here. http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c2...m/f07b4621.gif

BDO: How are you today?
Me: Please go SPOT someone else
BDO: Where are you going/flying today?
Me: Please go SPOT someone else
BDO: I've never been to XXX, is it a nice place
Me: Please go SPOT someone else
etc., etc., etc.

I would not be surprised if the behavior detection will be along the lines of answering questions similar to the ones passengers answer when checking in for international flights in Europe. This would be a scaled back version of the Israel model that everyone seems to think would solve all of our problems.

It's difficult for me to act "normal" as I queue up in preparation for being questioned, divesting myself of my shoes, belt, and pocket contents, whle preparing for the possibility of the groping search when I opt out of the X-Ray scanner.

Exactly what is normal behavior in the midst of the chaos and unpleasantness that still pervades the typical TSA checkpoint?

Personally, I would leave out the "please" part...

I would not call those 'international flights' but rather qualify them. I have only been asked those questions when checking in for a flight to the US on a US carrier. They are not asked of me when flying to non-US destinations, or on a non-US carrier to the US.

But the questions they ask in Europe are the same questions they stopped asking here years ago, because they don't accomplish anything.

Any of you techno-geeks will recognize this from RFC 1925:

"Every old idea will be proposed again with a different name and a different presentation, regardless of whether it works."

The biggest difference between Israel and the U.S. is that long-forgotten document called the Constitution. Sorry, I will not be interrogated before I fly on an airplane in the United States of America.

Very odd, because my experience is exactly the opposite. I am never asked those questions by US carriers, anywhere, but have been asked on flights to the US, say on Air New Zealand LHR-LAX. I have also been asked by BA on flights from LHR to European cities.

Link To The Interview
 

And risk goalie-mom's all reaching and all powerful backhand slap upside my head for not being polite? I learned to fear that many moons ago ;)

Have they looked at the behavior of their own employees lately? 'Cause they've got some nutbars in there, and I think it's a bit of a stretch to think they are going to be detecting behavioral subtleties in passengers.

Some changes:

BDO: How are you today?
Me: I decline to answer that question pursuant to my rights under the Fifth Amendment.
BDO: Uh...