Save Federal Jobs by Making the Annual Evaluation for Transportation Security Officers Airport Specific Versus Standardized
Evaluate officers on the duties they perform on a regular basis based off of the equipment/technology that their airport has versus administering a nationwide standard evaluation; airports are not standard.
Per the Aviation and Transportation Security Act a TSO employed by the TSA must undergo an Annual Proficiency Review (APR). An individual employed as a TSO may not continue to be employed in that capacity unless the evaluation demonstrates that the individual continues to meet all qualification and standards required to perform a screening function. Fine; however the evaluations should be based off of the current knowledge and skills that the TSO has to display throughout the year and on a regular basis. Officers that are fully vested and that have supported the Agency?s mission for over ?X? amount of years, who demonstrate the current knowledge and skills necessary to courteously, vigilantly, and effectively perform screening functions can be removed from federal service for failing any portion of their annual proficiency review 3 times. This is an unfair practice because the evaluations do not reflect officer?s daily responsibilities. Officers are tested on screening functions that do not reflect their daily functions. Technology has taken the place of how officers perform their daily functions. For example, the partial Standard Pat-down (SPD) performed on a passenger who passes through the Advance Imagery Technology (AIT) machine is totally different from the full SPD that is performed on a passenger who alarms the Walk Through Metal Detector (WTMD). Many airports ?primary source? of screening is the AIT machine versus the WTMD. Because of advanced technology, such as the AIT machine, officers are required to perform less full SPD?s on a daily basis. However, officers who work in airports that use AIT machines as their primary source of screening are still required to undergo a Practical Skills Evaluation (PSE) on the full SPD. Airports that use the WTMD as a primary source of screening to conduct full SPD?s on a daily basis should be evaluated on full SPD?s. Due to Risk Based Security and other advanced technology, performing full SPD?s on passenger(s) with disabilities (PWD), which include passengers in wheel chairs, is almost obsolete. However, officers have to perform a PSE on this function. Officers who do not successfully complete the evaluation are removed from federal service. Instead of a national standardized test, testing should be airport specific based off of the equipment/technology that the airport has. An airport that does not have an AIT machine and is equipped with a WTMD does SPD?s on a regular basis with all passengers, to include a PWD. Officers who work at airports that use AIT machines as its primary source of screening; daily duties does not reflect that of a full SPD on a regular basis. Officers should only be evaluated on functions that they are required to perform on a daily basis. If the officer is evaluated in an area that is not performed on a daily basis and he/she does not meet the standard required to perform the function, he/she should undergo additional training until the required standard is met and allowed to continue to be employed in that capacity. Please help make testing fair and save federal jobs for Transportation Security Officers.
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