PPAI 2000 - Institutions and Policymaking, Memo #3 To: NT-TS Presidents, Ken Salazar and John Bryson From:

Kelsey Sherman Date: November 1, 2012 Subject: Transportation Security Administration (TSA) Executive Summary: After careful examination of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) it is apparent that the TSA needs improvement. This memo proposes ways to make the TSA more efficient, effective and better coordinated with other agencies that perform similar missions. The memo addresses: (1) areas of the TSAs performance that need improvement, (2) structural factors that contribute to TSAs performance, (3) possibilities for improving TSA performance, (4) the likelihood of achieving the proposed improvements, (5) recommendations for easy improvement. 1. Areas of the Agencys Performance That Need Improvement The Transportation Security Administration is an agency of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security that exercises authority over the security of the traveling public in the United States. The TSA oversees security for highways, railroads, buses, mass transit systems, pipelines, and ports. However, the bulk of the TSA's efforts are in aviation security. The TSA is solely responsible for screening passengers and checked and carryon baggage at 450 U.S. airports.1 There are four areas of the Transportation Security Administration that need improvement. Each of these areas of improvement relate to the Agencys day-to-day
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Transportation Security Administration. About TSA. http://www.tsa.gov/about-tsa

airport security operations. a. Terror Watch List The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) maintains the watch list. The TSA uses this list on a regular basis. The list is fairly arbitrary. People can be added to the list for simply speaking critically about an agency or branch of the United States Government. b. TSA Employee Training There is a shortage of on-the-job training, functioning computers and managers. TSA Agents enough time to keep up to date on their legally-required training. The computers used for training were sometimes moved to break rooms. They were also placed near the bustling checkpoints. Neither of these areas are conducive to learning. A survey of frequent flyers found that 85% of frequent flyers think that the U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is doing either a poor or fair job in performing security screenings at the nation's airports. 76.1% of respondents indicated that the TSA's screening procedures are either not effective or not too effective at preventing acts of terrorism on an aircraft. 2 c. Traveler Screening Procedures and Screening of Employees TSA agents are also accused of having mistreated passengers and having sexually harassed passengers. They have also been accused of stealing from passengers. 3 Martin, Hugo. (September 11, 2012). Many travelers say TSA is doing a poor job. Los Angeles Times. http://articles.latimes.com/2012/sep/11/business/la-fi-mo-tsa-survey20120911 3 (October 8, 2012).Newark airport gets low marks on internal TSA report. ABC News. http://abcnews.go.com/Travel/video/newark-airport-low-marks-internal-tsa-report2

d. Unintended Consequences of Strict Security Measures of the TSA have been accused with providing a false sense of security to travelers. 2. Structural Factors that Contribute to Agency Performance There are two major structural factors that contribute to the ineffective nature of the Transportation Security Administration. a. TSA Is a Major Conflict of Interest The TSA provides aviation security and regulates aviation security. When it comes to baggage and passenger screening, TSA is regulating itself.4 b. Fragmented Airport Security Airport perimeters, air cargo, and other aspects of security are not operated and managed by TSA. Airports run these securities. The lack of cohesion in airport security can create gaps. 3. Possibilities for Long-Term Improvement of Agency Performance There are two long-term improvements that could be made in order to help the TSAs performance. Though potentially effective, both would cumbersome and require a large amount of coordination from the three branches of government. a. The TSA Should Operate as a Regulatory Body TSA should regulate and oversee all airport security. Each airport should be responsible for all aspects of its security. This would include passenger and baggage 17424365 4 Transportation Security Administration. (September 26, 2012) Layers of U.S. Aviation Security. http://www.tsa.gov/about-tsa/layers-security

screening, and perimeter security. Airports would be free to hire their own security forces. Since the TSA would be a regulatory body, it could appoint TSA-certified security firms. This would help provide better training and airport-specific flexibility. Flexibility in security agent numbers would allow for better matches to travel patterns and airport passenger levels. b. Restructure the Funding of Airport Security Those who use airports should pay for the cost of airport security. It would make the costs of airport security more visible to airlines and travelers. Funders would be a combination of airlines and passengers. All Federal airport costs would be eliminated. Airport security costs not covered by current airport or airline security taxes would be erased. 4. Likelihood of Achieving the Proposed Improvements At this time, the proposed changes would not be very likely. A lot of whether or not the two changes would be achieved would depend on the president in office. First, as we have seen, the TSA is not capable of working as a regulatory body. The TSAs primary capability is as an enforcer. Secondly, travelers would protest if airport funding were restructured. Airlines would raise prices further because of their increased operating expenses. Travelers would be unhappy with having to pay more for already expensive air travel. Though it seems to make sense, changing the economic burden of airport costs could potentially hurt the industry as a whole.

5. Recommendations for Easily Improving TSA Performance I would make three recommendations that might improve the performance of the Transportation Security Administration in the near future. 1. Improving Terror Watch List This could be achieved by having the FBI, TSA, CIA, and local and state law enforcement work together to set stricter regulations for the Terror Watch List. These regulations would set standards as to who should and should not be on the list. Collaboration could help devise a more effective way of organizing the list so the higher threats are appropriately noted. 2. Improve Training of Employees Though it would be more costly, having a single training for all new TSA employees at one place one time a month would allow for a more streamlined, effective training. 3. Make Hiring Requirements More Strict Collaborate with the FBI to have complete background checks conducted on each employee of the TSA. Conduct NSOPR sex offender checks and State background checks on all employees and new hires. Requiring employees to have more education that a high school diploma or a GED might improve the agencies performance.

References (October 8, 2012).Newark airport gets low marks on internal TSA report. ABC News. http://abcnews.go.com/Travel/video/newark-airport-low-marks-internal-tsa-report17424365 Collins, Dan. (September 10, 2012). Poll: 90% of frequent flyers give TSA fair or poor rating. Frequent business traveler. Retrieved September 11, 2012. Martin, Hugo. (September 11, 2012). Many travelers say TSA is doing a poor job. Los Angeles Times. http://articles.latimes.com/2012/sep/11/business/la-fi-mo-tsa-survey20120911 Poole , R. (2010, April 04). Get the government out of airport screening. The Washington Times. Retrieved from http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2010/apr/09/get-thegovernment-out-of-airport-screening/