JWA baggage screening goes federal
Deepa Bharath
Security measures changed again Wednesday, as federal screeners
replaced those employed by private companies at the airport’s
security checkpoints.
U.S. Secretary of Transportation Norman Mineta officially
introduced the screeners at a press conference at the airport
Wednesday. The uniformed screeners, wearing navy blue pants and white
shirts with the letters “TSA” on them, have been hired by the
Transportation Safety Administration, an agency created by President
George W. Bush after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
Mineta said John Wayne will be one of the first airports in the
country to have screening technology in place and operating by the
end of the year to check 100% of all bags. Airport managers are
counting on the December installation of the $29-million
explosives-detection system. Airports have until Dec. 31 to install
the new machines.
The airport now has 150 federal screeners, though that number will
likely go up to 193 by next month, Mineta said.
He called the screeners the “frontline soldiers in America’s war
against terrorism.
“Today marks the day when the federal government officially takes
over responsibility for airport security,” he said. “It has been a
challenging year so far, but we have worked together to restore the
confidence of the flying public in aviation safety and security.”
Mineta said the purpose of this endeavor is twofold.
“Our twin goals are world-class security and world-class customer
service,” he said. “These men and women are well-trained in the
latest security techniques to screen baggage and detect security
breaches. But they have also been trained to treat passengers with
respect and dignity.”
Mineta also said the government is spending several million
dollars to find faster machines to detect explosives. He said it
could take two years to get those newer machines.
The federalization of the screening process would make the process
more uniform and consistent, he added. Airports nationwide have until
Nov. 19 to roll out federal screening. The federal baggage screeners
have undergone 40 hours of classroom training and 60 hours of
on-the-job training.
Shay Ashford, a screener previously in the military, said the
hands-on training helped him know what to expect and what to look for
in baggage.
“You have to hand it to the people who trained us,” she said. “We
know what almost everything looks like. Nothing’s going to get past
us.”
Ashford said she is also trained to be “quick and efficient.”
“We’re going to try to get you out of the checkpoint in five
minutes,” she said. “Sometimes, if we suspect there’s something
wrong, it would take longer. We know we’ll have an unhappy passenger
here and there. But our No. 1 priority is to make sure everybody gets
to their destination safely.”
Screener Chris Costa said that a lot of times, she sympathizes
with passengers.
“I feel really sorry for them sometimes,” she said. “I think it’s
very important for us to be polite and courteous to them. We need to
treat them like we would want to be treated.”
Erin Rettino, who was getting ready to fly out of John Wayne on
Wednesday, said she would feel comfortable with the new system.
“I personally think anything could happen anytime or anywhere,”
she said. “But if there’s federal guidelines and a watchdog service,
I definitely feel like I’m safer.”
* DEEPA BHARATH covers public safety and courts. She may be
reached at (949) 574-4226 or by e-mail at deepa.bharath@latimes.com.
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