MSP to use behavioral screening
Dec 5, 2005 | 3:02 pm
#1
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MSP to use behavioral screening
Minneapolis Star Tribune article
Federal officers and local police at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport are testing a new passenger-screening program designed to spot potential terrorists by how they act instead of by what they carry -- a step some fear will lead to racial or ethnic profiling.
Airport police said Saturday that in January they will start a unit trained by former Israeli airport security experts in "behavioral pattern recognition" techniques. The unit will work with the federal Transportation Security Administration (TSA), which began testing a similar system at the airport last month, federal officials said.....
The shift will allow airport security officials to focus on the new passenger screening plan, which eventually may be adopted nationwide.
Jim Welna, deputy federal security director for the Minneapolis-St. Paul, ... said the new units will scrutinize travelers for anxious, frightened or deceptive behaviors. Travelers who arouse TSA's suspicions will be questioned, and their answers scored against a secret index. A high score will prompt a call to airport police, who must then decide whether to ask travelers more questions, call counter-terrorism agents, or send them on their way.
Minneapolis is the second large airport in the country where TSA screeners have begun testing the new surveillance system, called Screening of Passengers by Observation Techniques, or SPOT, Welna said....
SPOT is based on a profiling system at Boston's Logan International Airport. Rafi Ron, a former Israeli airport security expert, helped design the program in 2002 and his consulting company in McLean, Virginia, began training Minneapolis-St. Paul airport police in October 2004.
Airport police said Saturday that in January they will start a unit trained by former Israeli airport security experts in "behavioral pattern recognition" techniques. The unit will work with the federal Transportation Security Administration (TSA), which began testing a similar system at the airport last month, federal officials said.....
The shift will allow airport security officials to focus on the new passenger screening plan, which eventually may be adopted nationwide.
Jim Welna, deputy federal security director for the Minneapolis-St. Paul, ... said the new units will scrutinize travelers for anxious, frightened or deceptive behaviors. Travelers who arouse TSA's suspicions will be questioned, and their answers scored against a secret index. A high score will prompt a call to airport police, who must then decide whether to ask travelers more questions, call counter-terrorism agents, or send them on their way.
Minneapolis is the second large airport in the country where TSA screeners have begun testing the new surveillance system, called Screening of Passengers by Observation Techniques, or SPOT, Welna said....
SPOT is based on a profiling system at Boston's Logan International Airport. Rafi Ron, a former Israeli airport security expert, helped design the program in 2002 and his consulting company in McLean, Virginia, began training Minneapolis-St. Paul airport police in October 2004.
Dec 5, 2005 | 3:06 pm
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Kip Hawley mentioned that MSP would be piloting such nonsense.
Looking for suspicious behavior? You'll find it even where it doesn't exist.
Looking for suspicious behavior? You'll find it even where it doesn't exist.
Dec 5, 2005 | 3:06 pm
#3
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Please tell me that they are going to bring these people in from the outside. I fly through MSP reguarly and their TSA folks are some of the "dullest pencils in the case" I have seen nationwide. Low wattage would be a compliment. Dont get me wrong, they are some of the most pleasant to interact with, but this group is NOT behaviorial psychology material (at least not as the analyzers!!!!!!).
Well at least we should have some entertainment now while we are waiting in line (picturing something like Carnac the magnficiant meets TSA, boarding passes on forehead and all).
Well at least we should have some entertainment now while we are waiting in line (picturing something like Carnac the magnficiant meets TSA, boarding passes on forehead and all).
Dec 5, 2005 | 3:09 pm
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Originally Posted by Mehdron
Originally Posted by MSP-area paper
Jim Welna, deputy federal security director for the Minneapolis-St. Paul, ... said the new units will scrutinize travelers for anxious, frightened or deceptive behaviors. Travelers who arouse TSA's suspicions will be questioned, and their answers scored against a secret index. A high score will prompt a call to airport police, who must then decide whether to ask travelers more questions, call counter-terrorism agents, or send them on their way.
Last edited by GUWonder; Dec 5, 2005 at 3:11 pm
Dec 5, 2005 | 3:30 pm
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and if you refuse to answer questions? are they going to deny travel? put you on the do-not-fly list? what is the penalty for non-compliance?
time for a lawsuit test...
time for a lawsuit test...
Dec 5, 2005 | 3:47 pm
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Originally Posted by bocastephen
and if you refuse to answer questions? are they going to deny travel? put you on the do-not-fly list? what is the penalty for non-compliance?
time for a lawsuit test...
time for a lawsuit test...
I will be at MSP in two weeks, although at the Humphrey Terminal (YX).
Let's play hardball =)
Dec 5, 2005 | 3:56 pm
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Originally Posted by bocastephen
and if you refuse to answer questions? are they going to deny travel? put you on the do-not-fly list? what is the penalty for non-compliance? time for a lawsuit test...
Dec 5, 2005 | 4:00 pm
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Originally Posted by Lehava
I just dont get why you would waste your own time doing things like that. I personally spend enough time in airports that I just want to answer them and move on. And YES I know the mantras will be posted...civil liberty...freedom...puppets....and so on but dang. Why go into something merely for no other reason than to just waste your own time making trouble??? What I make an hour is certainly more important to me than spending time to buck the system for sport. There is a big difference between protecting your civil liberty and just being a butt!!!!
Dec 5, 2005 | 4:04 pm
#11
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Originally Posted by GUWonder
Someone needs to take a stand and do the right thing. Or we all might as well begin taking lessons in how to prostate ourselves in front of new authority.
And what many of you dont get, is that when you pitch a fit merely to pitch a fit you are diluting your credibility on issues that deserve taking a stand. Who can take you seriously on serious issues when you pitch a fit on EVERYTHING???????????????????????????????? Sometimes before it even happens??????????????????????????????????????????? ?
Dec 5, 2005 | 4:04 pm
#12
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Originally Posted by GUWonder
Someone needs to take a stand and do the right thing. Or we all might as well begin taking lessons in how to prostrate ourselves in front of new authority.
Or should we go back to letting the British tax our tea?
Let's show Comrade Kip exactly where he can go. File those complaints!
Dec 5, 2005 | 4:05 pm
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Originally Posted by Spiff
Remember: file a complaint each and every time you are selected for unnecessary secondary harassment.
Dec 5, 2005 | 4:05 pm
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Originally Posted by Spiff
Exactly.
Or should we go back to letting the British tax our tea?
Let's show Comrade Kip exactly where he can go. File those complaints!
Or should we go back to letting the British tax our tea?
Let's show Comrade Kip exactly where he can go. File those complaints!
Dec 5, 2005 | 4:06 pm
#15
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Originally Posted by Lehava
Sometimes before it even happens??????????????????????????????????????????? ?