New security in place at JWA

Deepa Bharath

JOHN WAYNE AIRPORT -- A new federal agency took over security

arrangements at the airport Sunday, vowing to provide airports with a

higher level of safety.

The Transportation Security Administration will now be responsible for

security in all of the nation’s airports instead of the Federal Aviation

Administration.

It marks the smooth passing of a second deadline in the new airline

security law passed after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. The first one

went into effect last month when airlines began inspecting checked

baggage for explosives.

What will this mean for passengers?

Not much visually or even in terms of procedure, said James Mitchell,

spokesman for the Transportation Security Administration in Washington,

D.C.

What it means in terms of internal operations, though, is that all

security in the airport will now come under federal supervision, he said.

“Eventually, between now and Nov. 19, all those who screen baggage and

check passengers will be federal employees,” Mitchell said. “But that’s

something we have to do incrementally. It can’t happen overnight.”

For now, private screening companies will continue to inspect baggage,

but under the guidance and supervision of the Transportation Security

Administration.

“We have given them a set of policies to follow,” Mitchell said.

The National Guards, who were posted by the government after Sept. 11

to provide a presence at the airports, will also eventually be replaced

by federal agents.

“We don’t know when that’s going to happen,” Mitchell said. “But we

are going to make sure there are no gaps during any of the transition.”

He said the agency has asked for a budget allocation of $4.8 billion

in the next fiscal year to carry out the operations nationwide. But,

Mitchell added that the costs could end up being much higher than

anticipated.

One of the great merits of the new arrangement is that airlines will

no longer be responsible for security, Mitchell said.

“It’s no longer a business decision for the airlines to make anymore,”

he said.

The new federal employees will be paid well and required to be

citizens of the United States, as all federal employees are.

“We’re going to use the best personnel and technology available,”

Mitchell said. “Our goal is to provide the public with the highest level

of security.”