THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, July 27, 1996 TAG: 9607270247
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A9 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS
DATELINE: NEW YORK LENGTH: 39 lines
Think there are security experts keeping watch at the nation's airports? Think again.
The first line of defense against terrorism is often a minimum-wage worker whose criminal background hasn't been checked.
The airlines are responsible for screening the passengers and their luggage, although many of them turn the work over to subcontractors.
``You're not going to be able to find someone with FBI-type training or even police-type training to man a security station,'' said Tim Neale, a spokesman for the Air Transport Association, which represents the major airlines. ``They are generally manned by the type of people who would work in building security.''
President Clinton's order to better scrutinize passengers on international flights and to step up screening of all carry-on baggage can only be as effective as the people doing the job.
The airline industry a few years ago set some minimum qualifications for those employees - such as a high school diploma, Neale said. Federal law requires the workers to undergo drug and alcohol tests, but not criminal background checks.
Scanner employees get three to four days of training in what to look for on the screen and how to spot suspicious behavior, then they go to work.
But faced with stiff fines from the FAA for any violations, the airlines move quickly to retrain or replace any workers who may be less than diligent, Neale said.
And he said, since 1973 when the scanners went into effect, there have been over 45,000 weapons confiscated and 120 hijackings averted.
As of January, the FAA began requiring better background information on employees with access to restricted areas of the airport, including employment history for the past decade and a criminal background check. Legislation to tighten clearance for all security personnel, including those who operate the scanners, has cleared committee and could go to the full House next week. by CNB