TSA's New Program
 

Really, $8 billion a year and their new program named Managed Inclusion is what we get? Currently being tested at Tampa and Indianapolis. So if you aren't eligible for PreCheck, you can still use the line if you want to walk past a explosive detection dog (which I wouldn't mind) but then have to answer questions by a minimally trained BDO (though the TSA claims they are specially trained. Yeah, right). Or you can take your chance in the regular line and either go through the MMWV or get groped. No wonder I don't fly anymore.

http://www.latimes.com/business/mone...,2191521.story

More like mismanaged delusion if you ask me ;)

Interrogation by TSA in order to travel in a free country is not acceptable.

^

Why do you assume that we live in a free country?

Or are you referring to another country?

Next step will be to eliminate Precheck proper and force everyone to go through this in the name of "streamlining" the security process.

Years ago, the TSA framed the debate as one of speeding one's transit through the checkpoint. They effectively took the Constitution, sexual assault, radiation poisioning, etc. completely off the table. The American People, through the media and the TSA's manipulation of it, swallowed this spin hook, line, and sinker. ...Just think about how many times we have pushed back against a clerk for one reason or another only to be scolded by our fellow passengers because we are "slowing down the line."

This "new procedure" does two things:

1. It further reinforces that the TSA's sole desire is to get us through the checkpoint quickly as a means of perpetuating their existence; and,

2. To fully employ SPOTNiks without having to admit that this program was a joke based on non-existent peer-reviewed science.

Please don't give into this, as many have been already seduced by PreCheck. Make them feel like a pervert every time they grope you.

It was not lost on me that Pissy announced this during the Christmas holiday season when Congress is focused on going home themselves and it would get very little media scrutiny. This also ensures that we don't forget about the TSA during the holiday season.

Well said Fliesway2much. I wholeheartedly agree with you and your analysis.

From a selfish perspective, this is great news. The options used to be a dose of radiation or a grope, now it's a dose of radiation, a grope, or get sniffed by a dog and answer a few stupid questions. Anyone in their right mind would choose the last option.

To anyone who is well-informed, this illustrates the uselessness of the TSA, but we knew that anyway. To everyone else, it enables the TSA to show that it is "keeping us secure" while eliminating a lot of the criticism the agency is facing.

This will not help me much. I am always suspected of being a terrorist just because I carry more than a shaving kit, a computer and a few days of clothes in my carry on. The slowest thing for me is the bag check. I get there early so it will not be a problem.

I have serious reservations about submitting to an interrogation to get on a plane. If it is optional, then I will opt out. If it is not, well, it depends on the questions. There are questions they can ask to magically get the non-response for which they are looking that do not involve personally intrusive inquiries.

I already have a tinge of guilt when I surrender at the ATR so I can better keep an eye on my tools. This is just as bad or worse. At least the scanners really do see under ones clothes. The claim that they can see into my mind by asking questions reminds me of a cheap fortune teller.

If this program allowed me to go through a WTMD and avoid body scanners or a grope, then I have to admit I'd be interested in using it. Do I think its right? Well no, we shouldn't have to be interrogated to board a plane. But still I think its a dangerous road to go down and I don't trust TSA to really operate any sort of program effectively.

Also (similar to what cotton said), what if they start doing this and like it so much, they decide to just make it the standard? Force everyone to submit to playing 20 questions every time or you don't fly today. That's what I'd be most fearful of.

I do like the dog part. It seems there would be less chance of mission creep if dogs are the detectors. Plus, the dogs obviously aren't going to be adding information to a government database where it could be misused in the future.

dogs can be misused as well. they can be triggered to alert on cue from their handlers.

I find the whole dogs thing a bit dubious. Dogs are not well suited for sitting around at a checkpoint. They need bathroom breaks and play time, as any handler would know. This sounds more like a charade.

When have they done anything recently that has not been a charade?

So when I tell the BDO that my itinerary and reasons for traveling are none of their business, will I still be allowed to go through PreCheck?

This program is as big a load of crock as the TSA's come up with recently. Be sniffed by a dog and interrogated like a fugitive, and maybe they'll let you into PreCheck. Or maybe, and I suspect this is far more likely, the BDO will be on the hunt for a terr'rist on that particular day, and half of those who slide into the PreCheck line will be sent for a resolution pat-down. Because, really, why would anyone fly into Atlanta unless they planned to blow the city up?

And what happens on false positives, or when dogs alert on out of scope items (eg, drugs or a giant stack of cash)?

What if they alarm because they sense the handler is suspicious of you? According to this story a negative reaction is almost always an accurate one. A positive reaction by the dog may not be.

Source: Legal challenge questions reliability of police dogs, By Lawrence Mower AND Brian Haynes, LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL, Posted: Jul. 9, 2012

The latter goes to my point about mission creep. If the dogs are trained to detect explosives, why would they detect drugs?

I am not claiming that the dogs are a perfect solution, but they might be better than the nude-o-scopes--which generate false positives as well.

Two populations I wonder about...
People traveling with dogs
People terrified of dogs,
I think both will find "MI" less than helpful.
I do like the adorable puppies though.. I just wonder about their effectiveness in this capacity vs use with cargo etc.

What sorts of questions can be expected? Are answers compared and verified against what is known of the passenger already? Perhaps the answers/questions are a moot point if micro-expressions are more important in determining intent. In that case, non personal questions would be enough and "my favorite color is blue" would be acceptable... :-/

It's an idea that is good in theory, but in the hands of TSA - well, that's another story.

The dogs will be trained to detect explosives. Fine. How many times have you had your footwear - or feet - swabbed? Will the dogs be able to detect (and not respond to) the types of fertilizer that alarm? Any traces on someone's shoes can get on the floor and be tracked around and picked up by other people.

The problem with the questioning will likely be TSA's implementation. The starting assumptions will be that training can be quick and easy and that all pax are probably guilty of something.

The goal, as it is today, will not be to clear innocent pax, it will be to detect the 'big catch'.

If TSA really wanted to do a scientific study, they would run a controlled experiment.

Test Managed Inclusion their way at one airport. At another, test Mongrel Inspection, where the dogs ask the 20 questions and the human BDOs sniff each passenger.

I’ll bet both airports catch the same number of terrorists. ^

A better, more controlled study might involve using the dogs and BDOs to sniff and question all TSOs at an airport like, say, EWR. Include baggage handlers.

Balance that with a similar test conducted at TSA HQ.

Since all of these folks have been passed a background check and have nothing to hide, there should be zero alarms from either dogs or BDOs, right?

This will only get worse until people fight back. Talk is worthless. You are facing a $6 billion dollar bureaucracy that desires only to perpetuate and expand itself. The TSA desires to be in your airports, in your harbors, in your bus stations, on your roads, in your homes, listening in on your phone calls. If you've had enough "security," stand up for liberty.

The story made the NY Times this morning too

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/08/bu...ning.html?_r=0

Managed inclusion sounds like something you need surgery to fix, what a weird name.

But, wait there's more coming

Another possible initiative is what Mr. Pistole calls “Global Entry Light.” Details have not yet been worked out, but the basic idea is to adopt some aspects of the international traveler Global Entry program for domestic use by the T.S.A. At a lower enrollment fee, and perhaps with participation by private companies, Global Entry Light would offer expedited screening to qualifying domestic travelers who don’t also travel enough internationally to need the regular Global Entry.

Any confidence that the TSA's "managed inclusion" will exculde racist profiling results? Not here, as wishful thinking is what leads to confidence in the TSA.

The only upside of this dog and pony show from the TSA will be that a higher proportion of persons will be less subject to the worst of the regular TSA nonsense.

A letter I just submitted.

Great - so those of us who've gone through the process to achieve GE or otherwise qualified to PreCheck and who are enjoying shorter lines and a more civilized process will now be subjected to random people being added to our line. Thanks, TSA.

Only in the government can an obvious sign of a program's failure be turned into an excuse to make yet another program.

The words TSA and "new program" alone is enough to make my skin crawl. Personally, as someone who seems to be regularly targeted at one particular airport by a BDO who doesn't understand that the IRA doesn't operate out of Italy and that I'm not a twenty-something Irish blogger who's the grandson of a well known Sinn Féin attorney, I cringe every time the TSA gets to extend its behavioral evaluation program. Unlike the Israelis, we do it wrong.

The TSA was trained by Israelis to do it as the Israelis do it at TLV. What happens is the TSA does it as the TSA does things: inconsistently and in an inappropriate environment.

(emphasis added)

oops

Better put and well said, Sir.

This program sounds like an excuse to cover up the failures of PreCheck. Not enough airlines are participating, not enough people are signing up for Global Entry, name mismatch problems are keeping people from using it, and so on. Setting aside a lane for PreCheck at each terminal results in congestion in the other lanes. This program seems to be designed to remedy that by shifting more people into the PreCheck lanes.

I would be interested to know on what basis people will be pulled into the PreCheck lanes. My guess is that it will be based on crowd level. If the checkpoint is congested, a few people will be "invited" to go through PreCheck, just like they currently open WTMD lanes to reduce congestion. Of course, there is going to be a racial bias to it, regardless of what anyone claims.

I wonder what happens if you are 'selected' and you decline and say something like "No thanks, I feel safer going through the regular process" with a big smile.

Sort of like some Americans at European airports who insist on taking off their shoes (and blathering loudly about it) because they believe in safety.

That's only true at a handful of airports. Most use the strip-search regardless of line length.

I will note that JFK T8 is one where the practice has been to use WTMD with long backups.

I don't see this being a good thing for me. I usually make it a point not to talk or even look at TSA during the screening. I do watch my goods going through the xray pretty careful though. Also, I'm the guy who will forcefully push the trays backwards through the xray when they are all pilled up on the other side and the agent keeps running the belt along. I've gotten some nasty looks from them on that but it just seems very rude of them to keep the belt running, making trays bunch up and spill over when clearly they just need to wait a few seconds for people to grab their stuff and move on. I'm all for hurrying things along but that irks me to no end. :mad:

Ahaha nice ;)

So do TSA 'officers' and well, you know MY opinion as to which is smarter...