Scanners at airports are manned by mature, experienced, responsible, highly trained professionals, remember!?

I wrote recently about three separate examples of abuse of power by those operating security procedures at international airports.

Here's a further example. A member of staff responsible for carrying out screening at Heathrow Terminal 5 has been accused of stealing from a passenger during the screening process.

As far as this individual case is concerned, I of course remind myself that his trial has not yet been concluded and that he is entitled to the presumption of innocence. But his guilt or innocence isn't the point for this post - the point is that the authorities have accused him of dishonesty, of being a thief, just as it is the authorities who assure us that we shouldn't worry about the abuse of body scanners at airports because those manning them are mature, experienced, responsible, highly trained professionals.

By Alex Deane

If you came to this post looking for our rolling list of airports with body scanners, it is here.

Comments

[1984]

I would suggest a far more accurate title to your article: 'Scanners are manned by immature, inexperienced, irresponsible and poorly trained amateurs'. No need for a question mark here - this is a statement of fact!
Proof:
(1)Report of UK scanner operatives making fun of a female colleague with large breasts.
(2) The American TSA making fun of a colleague with a small penis.
(3)The recent story of a 12 year old girl forced through a body scanner in Florida without parental consent. Body scans are supposed to be optional in the states. There is also increasing evidence that this is not the case in practice. Those who object to a scan are often subject to abuse or serious intimidation by aggresive and coercive TSA staff ( see TSA blog for abundant evidence of this ).
(4)Airport security staff are underpaid and poorly motivated. That is a fact. You simply cannot professionalise a minimum wager.
(5) In terms of training of scanner operatives in the UK, the Interim Code of practice is lamentably vague, where it states that, 'training packages should be developed in partnership with the manufacturers'. Oh, that really inspires confidence. The manufacturers do not care about privacy, only about making a fast buck in a fast moving market. Scanner operative training will also differ widely according to which manufacturer they are employed with - some may offer good training, many will not.

If anyone is really interested in issues like the above then please look at the TSA blog, you can also post comments annonymously there.

Alex, I will update you at the end of the month if you would like, I know you were busy last time I contacted you.

[Alex Deane]

Yes please 1984!

[Supra Shoes]

This article is really good,Only you and God.

[coach outlet]

Everything can be taken from a man but one thing; the freedom to choose his attitude in any given set of circumstances.