TSA launches news airport airside and perimeter security
Billions of dollars have been invested in — and strict regulations promulgated for — passenger and baggage screening to prevent explosives from being taken on board; very little money has been invested in and no specific mandates imposed regarding airport perimeter security; TSA is changing this — and also takes the next essential step: coordination among the different money bodies involved in airport perimeter security
Back in February, Lynn Welch, director of marketing at ICx Imaging Systems, a business unit of ICx Technologies, wrote a column for the HS Daily Wire (11 February 2008) in which she said:
To date, mandates from TSA are not extensive and solidified for perimeter security systems, but they are the logical next step in a layered security plan. Passenger screening for explosives and weapons helps ensure that one portion of the system is safe, but it provides a false sense of security if a terrorist should infiltrate the fence line with a large-scale weapon, or a chemical or biological agent. Thus, protecting the perimeter, as well as beefing up employee screenings, are the next obvious solutions.
Welch was correct, as evidenced by the fact that the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has just launched a new security initiative aimed at further enhancing airport airside and perimeter security. The Airside Vulnerability Reduction Team (AVRT) program will strengthen the coordination of work by TSA, law enforcement, airline, and airport security partners to reduce vulnerabilities to airport airside operations. Airside is defined as the secure side of the airport, to include the tarmac. The new initiative will be headed by Willie Williams who has served as federal security director at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport since the start of TSA operations there in 2002. Before joining TSA, Williams served as police chief for the cities of Los Angeles and Philadelphia. He has forty-four years of law enforcement and federal security experience. “Willie is truly one of the nation’s leaders in law enforcement and an experienced innovator in community policing,” said Mo McGowan, TSA assistant administrator for Security Operations. “His specialized law enforcement experience and knowledge gained as security director of the world’s busiest airport make him uniquely suited for this initiative.” Williams added, “By continuing to strengthen the relationships we have with local law enforcement and airline and airport security partners, we can better leverage our existing resources to address potential security threats.”.
In leading the new project Williams also will serve as TSA’s national liaison to law enforcement organizations across the country. TSA has employed several measures including the Aviation Direct Access Screening Program (ADASP) and Visible Intermodal Prevention and Response (VIPR) operations to enhance perimeter security. Seven airports are currently participating in employee screening pilots.