You be the security officer
 

You are head of the FBI Counter-Intelligence Unit. Six months from now you get a credible report (human itelligence agent) that a cadre of blue persons (substitute for "blue" any reasonably unique looking subset of the population, whether by ethnicity, size, sex, etc.) have been trained as pilots. Further, they have been trained to carry, in their bodily cavity, a knife of substantial size made from a material which is not presently detectable by automated equipment. They intend, within the next two years, to stage an incident similar to what just occurred. Apart from any changes in the aircraft (heavier doors on cockpit, etc.), as it applies to screening:

1. Do you increase scrutiny of blue people?

2. Do you begin routine examination of bodily cavities?

3. Do you ground all aircraft in the US?

4. What do you do to screening?

I don't know that the questions you have raised are really something most of us are even remotely able to answer...

However the topic line "You be the security officer" did attract my attention with an obvious thought...

You, ie all of us, should indeed be the security officer. Not the mythical head of a counter terrorism unit, but another set of eyes, ears and minds on the ground or in the air.

If you see or hear something amiss do something about it... don't assume someone who has a job description that says they have some responsibility for security will see and hear or even think what you experience.

If you see something, tell someone, tell them quickly, and tell them loudly. We are all security officers and are all responsioble for our safety and that of those around us.

Good point. You probably don't want EVERYBODY
to do this 'cause the VIFFs would more likely than not freak out at any opportunity.
We that spend a good chunk of our time butt-in-seat DO know enough about how things
should go and what's fishy and what's not.

JD

At one time (a few years ago) I was a security officer at IAH at the security check point-terminal C. The other security staff that I worked with were all basicly kids just out of high school. The training was conducted by security professionals but to the kids, the kids interpereted the training as a joke! My supervisor was a 20 year old individual. I informed the supervisor that I had observed several security personnel rapidly conducting electronic wand searches, also informed the supervisor that the equipment being used was inadequate and sometimes nonfunctional, also informed him that security personnel were asleep and passing baggage through the x-ray machines. The supervisor did NOTHING! I resigned the next day and informed the company of my findings on three or four page legal sheets. The hour that I left the company, I also verbaly informed the company management of my findings, their response, they knew that they had problems at the airport but that their hands were tied (budget). Since it was my last day, I told them that they were full of s*.*. The company made no improvements or any changes. The company had a very high employee turn over rate. A few months later, the company was replaced by another security outfit. This company no longer operates security service at IAH....they only drive busses around the airport.

This company also operates at other security check points in other cities that CO and COEX services. I have observed them to hire an older and much mature staff.