Nov 21, 2007 8:05 pm US/Eastern
Memo: TSA Suspends Some Airport Security Measures
Random Employee Screening, Explosive Detection Drills Among Precautions Stopped
NEW YORK (CBS) ―
The federal government says it's doing everything possible to ensure air travel runs smoothly, but is the Transportation Security Administration sacrificing security for speed?
CBS 2 HD has learned that some new security measures have been suspended.
In a memo quoted in published reports from the TSA's Office of Security Operations, the security directors of the nation's airports were told to suspend some security inspections and covert testing, including the random airport employee screening CBS 2 HD showed in our exclusive report.
The random checkpoints set up to screen airport employees, including TSA security officers themselves, are one of the newest layers of airport security.
The memo was from Mo McGowan, assistant administrator of TSA Security Operations. It says these roving checkpoints as well as two programs that test the screeners at passenger checkpoints will be temporarily stopped.
The memo says:
"In anticipation of the highest passenger-load factors in recent years … all (employee screening) and (explosive detection) drills will be suspended."
The TSA wants the passenger checkpoints to flow as smoothly as possible. The question is, whether letting the public and airport employees know that certain security measures are being suspended during this period, actually decreases security?
"We had a case here not long ago right at JFK Airport where we had employees who were involved in a conspiracy to ultimately blow up a gas line between Staten Island and JFK," security expert Robert Strang said. "So having employees involved in any kind of terrorist activity isn't a stranger to us especially in the New York area."
The TSA says the memo wasn't an order to stop them; it was an authorization to suspend the random employee checks and drills if those security officers were needed elsewhere.
"What we've done obviously for the busy travel push is we have moved some of those resources into our checkpoints and into our baggage screening areas, but those additional layers of security are still in place today through this entire travel period," said TSA Security Director Douglas Hofsass.
Still, the holiday travel period is a tempting target.
When asked if a move like this gives potential terrorist a golden opportunity to strike, Strang said, "Yes."
Strang does say it's not unusual for law enforcement to shift their assets to where they're most needed. And the TSA has increased its security personnel 25 percent here at LaGuardia alone, during this period to better handle the crowds.
The TSA insists the airports and flights are secure.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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