TSA Needs Better Testing Data to Improve Screener Training and Operations

Homeland Security Today: The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) uses a variety of programs to train and evaluate Transportation Security Officers (TSO), who are responsible for screening passengers and baggage for threats to aviation security, at nearly 440 airports across the country. But the Government Accountability Office (GAO) said TSA TSOs’ proficiency still needs improvement.

Following the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Office of Inspector General’s (IG) recent covert testing that measures TSO performance through covert testing of TSA screening operations, the Secretary of DHS directed TSA in June 2015 to conduct further training for all TSOs and supervisors. GAO was asked to review TSA’s efforts to train and test TSOs.

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