Re: TSA mission creep now policy

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

Begin forwarded message:

From: "David P. Reed" <dpreed () reed com>
Date: November 9, 2009 6:11:53 PM EST
To: dave () farber net
Cc: ip <ip () v2 listbox com>
Subject: Re: [IP] TSA mission creep now policy

I continue to wonder if there is any scientific evidence that would show that terrorists can be detected by signs of 
"stress".

Of course, it could be worse, Iraqi checkpoints are manned by  trained "dowsers" and their professional security 
organizations have sworn by devices that use such "dowsing" to detect bombs in cars from a distance. 
http://tech.slashdot.org/story/09/11/04/2340204/Iraq-Swears-By-Dowsing-Rod-Bomb-Detector

So I guess we can assume that the US "behavior specialists" are credentialed based on something other than deeply held 
beliefs in the powers of human observation and gut feelings.  And I'm sure they would never be biased by mode of dress, 
facial hair, or skin color.   After all, TV shows are based on the idea that there are people who can be trained to 
"read minds" by studying bodily gestures.  And TV Shows are always right, right?

On 11/09/2009 03:49 PM, David Farber wrote:
> Begin forwarded message: 
>
> From: "David Lesher" <wb8foz () panix com> 
> Date: November 9, 2009 12:05:32 PM EST 
> To: dave () farber net (David Farber) 
> Subject: TSA mission creep now policy 
>
> Prof. F: 
>
> Remember the blowup when TSA detained Ron Paul volunteer Steve Bierfeldt 
> because he was caught carrying {gasp!} cash on board an aircraft? 
>
> Much of the controversy was because TSA is *not* a credentialed law 
> enforcement agency; and seeing as how it's rather hard to hijack an 
> aircraft with dollar bills & quarters, such money is not in their 
> mandate. Official TSA responses never really addressed that. 
>
> Well, per Monday's WashPost, TSA has decided that more mission creep is 
> to their advantage. 
>
> <http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/11/08/AR2009110817898_pf.html> 
>
> At U.S. airports, TSA officers covertly monitor travelers' behavior 
>
>
>    FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. -- You might not see them, but they're studying you. 
>
>    To identify potentially dangerous individuals, the Transportation 
>    Security Administration has stationed specially trained 
>    behavior-detection officers at 161 U.S. airports. The officers may be 
>    positioned anywhere, from the parking garage to the gate, trying to spot 
>    passengers who show an unusual level of nervousness or stress. 
>
>    They do not focus on nationality, race, ethnicity or gender, said TSA 
>    spokeswoman Sari Koshetz. 
>
>    "We're not looking for a type of person, but at behaviors," she said. 
>
>    Under the program, which started in Boston in 2003, a suspicious 
>    passenger might be given a secondary security screening or referred to 
>    police; detection officers do not have arrest powers. 
>
>    Last year, officers nationwide required 98,805 passengers to undergo 
>    additional screenings.  Police questioned 9,854 of them and arrested 813. 
>
>
> The article goes on to cite multiple incidents of people arrested for various 
> crimes but NOT ONE was mentioned that had anything to do with aircraft security. 
>
> I have to wonder how long before TSA is also detaining deadbeat dads and three-strikes 
> parking ticket offenders.... 
>
>
>
>
>
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