SIGNATURE INITIATIVE: RISK-BASED SECURITY

Enhance security and focus resources by applying new risk-based, intelligence driven security procedures and enhancing use of technology.

Other Information:

Overview: The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is undertaking efforts to enhance security and focus its resources by applying new risk-based, intelligence driven security procedures and enhancing its use of technology, while also improving the passenger experience at security checkpoints. TSA is piloting several technology and process adjustments to enable expedited screening of known travelers. By using technology that helps identify passengers as low-risk and providing expedited physical screening, TSA can allocate personnel and technology resources towards unknown or high-risk passenger screening while improving the passenger experience for the traveling public. During the pilot, certain frequent fliers and certain members of CBP's Trusted Traveler programs, including members of Global Entry, SENTRI, and NEXUS, who are U.S. citizens, will be eligible to participate in this pilot, which could qualify them for expedited screening. All eligible frequent flyers and CBP Trusted Traveler participants must opt in to the program to be eligible for expedited screening. TSA continues to enhance its layered security approach through state-of-the-art technologies, expanded use of existing and proven technology, better passenger identification techniques and other developments that will continue to strengthen aviation security. TSA will always incorporate random and unpredictable security measures and no individual will be guaranteed expedited screening. Challenges: For the initial pilot, select airlines with flights departing out of select cities are included. Also, since TSA will always incorporate random and unpredictable security measures, it must overcome misperceptions that all eligible participants are guaranteed expedited screening. A. Overview TSA’s intelligence-driven, risk-based approach to security will continue to focus resources to provide the most effective security in the most efficient way possible while improving the passenger experience at security checkpoints. TSA is conducting pilots throughout FY 2012. During this pilot, TSA will use pre-screening capabilities to make intelligence-based risk assessments on passengers who voluntarily participate in the program. Eligible participants include certain frequent flyers from Delta Air Lines and American Airlines as well as members of CBP’s Trusted Traveler programs, including Global Entry, SENTRI, and NEXUS who are U.S. Citizens and are flying on participating airlines. Eligible passengers may be referred to a lane where they will experience expedited screening. TSA will always incorporate random and unpredictable security measures throughout the airport and no individual will be guaranteed expedited screening. TSA’s multi-layered approach to security also includes behavior detection officers, explosives-detection systems, canine teams, and federal air marshals, among other measures both seen and unseen. Additionally, TSA is modifying its screening procedures for passengers 12 and under to resolve alarms. Specifically, children are permitted to keep on shoes during screening and will be allowed multiple passes through technology such as walk through metal detector in order to resolve alarms. These changes in protocol will ultimately reduce – though not eliminate – pat-downs of children that would have otherwise been conducted to resolve alarms. The purpose of this change is to minimize the impact of screening measures on children while improving security by allowing TSA officers to better focus their efforts on those who present a higher risk. After the initial pilots have been evaluated TSA will seek to expand these risk-based security protocols to drive efficiency for TSA and improve the passenger experience. B. Impact and Benefits Security and operational gains will enhance security, engage external stakeholders to provide improved customer service, and increase operational efficiencies. Specifically, risk-based security aims to use intelligence and technology to improve: * Security Effectiveness–TSA’s first priority is to ensure that the implementation of RBS will improve security across the system, based on the concept of pre-screening to separate passengers by risk levels, and then focusing resources toward higher risk passengers. * Passenger Satisfaction – TSA also seeks to improve overall satisfaction by providing opportunities for known travelers to undergo expedited screening. * Operational Efficiency – TSA will increase productivity in the all checkpoint lanes by implementing an expedited screening process for known passengers. C. Risk-Based Security Key Milestones and Timeline Q4 FY11 * Complete Secure Flight technology enhancements and integration with CBP Global Entry to enable identification of low risk passengers through their boarding passes * Implement new screening protocols for passengers 12 and under Q1 FY 12 * Begin expedited screening pilot for known travelers with airline partners at four airports * Award CAT/BPSS Low Rate of Initial Production Units Q2 FY 12 * Expand expedited screening with an new airport partner and at an additional airport Q3 FY 12 * Award CAT/BPSS full rate production Q4 FY 12 * Additional Secure Flight enhancements deployed to support the expansion of expedited screening

Stakeholder(s):

• Transportation Security Administration (TSA): Key Customer Groups: TSA’s intelligence-driven, risk-based approach to security will continue to focus resources to provide the most effective security in the most efficient way possible while improving the passenger experience at security checkpoints. One component of risk-based security, TSA PreCheck, focuses on pre-screening individuals who volunteer information about themselves prior to flying in order to potentially expedite the travel experience. Screening will be expedited for eligible passengers who opt to participate and who are assessed by TSA as low-risk; in the initial pilot period, certain frequent flyers and CBP Trusted Traveler participants are eligible.


• Passengers


• Trusted Traveler Participants

Objective(s):

SI Featured Action 1: Secure Flight Technology Enhancements

SI Featured Action 2: Credential Authentication / Boarding Pass Scanning

SI D: Feedback

SI D.1: MyTSA Mobile App

SI D.2: Talk to TSA Kiosks

SI E: Best Practices

SI E.1: One DHS

SI E.2: Risk-Based Security Engagement

SI E.3: MyTSA Mobile App

SI F: Metrics and Standards

SI F.1: Key Performance Measures

SI F.2: Expedited Screening

SI G: Streamlining

SI G.1: QR Codes

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