• New explosives detectors allow Aussies to carry liquids

    Travelers in Australia will soon be allowed to bring liquids on board airplanes thanks to sophisticated new explosives detection technology

  • Cargo security: there is a difference between “tracking” and “chain of custody”

    For cargo to be under a tight chain of custody, it requires security throughout its carriage from stuffing, verification, and sealing at point of origin, confirmed by an authorized agent who arms a container’s security system and seals the container. All elements of cargo information, container identification in which it was sealed, identify of person verifying cargo, and all who had access to the cargo during movement and relating dates and times must be maintained electronically in the control system of the secure servers of the container security device provider.

  • Former presidential nominee calls for abolishment of TSA and DHS

    George McGovern, the former Senator from South Dakota and the Democratic presidential candidate in 1972, is calling for the abolishment of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) as well as DHS; in his new book, “What It Means to be a Democrat,” McGovern describes existing airport security measures as “ridiculous”

  • CBP launches program to expedite air cargo screening

    Under a new pilot program, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) aims to streamline the entry process for air cargo; the new process, dubbed the “Simplified Entry Pilot,” is designed to reduce the number of customs holds that delay air cargo and help give shippers a better idea of when they can take possession of their goods

  • Railroad authority investigates threat of unattended trains

    The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) is currently investigating the dangers of unattended freight trains, especially those that carry hazardous materials, following a report by a Seattle television station; in a segment called “Problem Solvers,” KOMO News investigators boarded several freight trains throughout the state without encountering security personnel or crew members

  • Plan for cameras and mics in U.K. cabs draws sharp criticism

    Privacy advocates in Oxford, Britain are up in arms over plans to install security cameras and audio recording cameras in every taxi; the city council recently passed a plan that would require every taxi driver in town to equip their cabs with the £460 devices by 2015 or have their license revoked

  • DHS warns terrorists targeting buses

    In a recent Transportation Security Administration (TSA) security bulletin, officials warned state and local authorities that terrorists are increasingly targeting bus networks; John Pistole, the head of the TSA, explained that bus networks are attractive targets for attacks because of their “accessibility” and their “open architecture”

  • Security clearance holders could begin zipping through airport security

    With the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) moving towards a tiered airport security system, those holding federal security clearances could become the next in line for expedited screening at checkpoints

  • Ten years on, TSA continues to evolve

    As the ten year anniversary of the creation of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) approaches, TSA Administrator John Pistole says the agency is making the necessary moves to enhance aviation security while becoming more customer-friendly

  • Delaware launches marine security unit

    Last week, Delaware showed off the latest additions to its law enforcement arsenal, two new high-tech boats aimed at protecting the state’s waterways and critical infrastructure; the boats come with the announcement of a new maritime patrol unit that will be staffed by three full-time state troopers and two part-timers

  • TSA fires agent over sex toy comment

    A TSA security screener at Newark Liberty International Airport was fired after he left a sexually suggestive note in the bag of a woman passenger. The woman, a New York attorney who flew from New Jersey to Dublin, opened her bag when she arrived at her Dublin hotel, and found a note, written on a TSA Notice of Inspection form, attached to one of the sexual toys she was carrying with her in the bag. The note said: “Get your freak on!” TSA investigated, identified the offending screener, and fired him. The agency also apologized to the passenger.

  • TSA deploys vehicle inspection teams in Tennessee

    Last week in an effort to improve security on U.S. highways, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) established checkpoints at truck weight stations in Tennessee; working with the Tennessee Department of Homeland Security, TSA deployed Visible Intermodal Prevention and Response (VIPR) teams across the state to inspect vehicles

  • BSI will develop new system for screening cargo

    DHS Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) has awarded a contract to BSI Group’s Supply Chain Solutions business unit for the creation of a protocol to aid the screening of cargo at U.S. ports

  • TSA expands pilot screening program for pilots

    Last week the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) expanded its trial program that allows pilots to skip airport security checkpoint lines to Washington Dulles International Airport; Dulles is the sixth of seven test locations for the “Known Crewmember” program which offers pilots an expedited screening process in the hopes of minimizing wait times for passengers

  • TSA expands trial of behavior analysis program

    Detroit’s Metro International Airport will soon become the second test ground for the Transportation Security Administration’s (TSA) “chat down” program, as it is called by critics; under the program, which was tested earlier this year at Boston’s Logan Airport, TSA security screeners ascertain whether a passenger is a threat or not based on their reactions to several interview questions