TSA Behavior Detection Officers to Undergo Refresher Training
FareCompare has confirmed with a Transportation Security Administration official that all behavior detection officers will be undergoing mandatory “refresher training” in the wake of racial profiling allegations at Boston Logan International Airport.
6 Things TSA Officers Want You to Know
Ethnicity, Race Not Part of ‘Behavior Detection’
TSA officers assigned to the behavioral detection program are reportedly trained only to seek out behaviors such as gleaned by body language and other cues that could provide a tip-off to terrorist activity – race and ethnicity play no part in the program. However, allegations against Logan officers suggest otherwise.
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New Training as Profiling Investigation Continues
According to news reports, officers were accused of “stopping, searching and questioning a disproportionate number” of Middle Easterners, Hispanics and African Americans. As FareCompare has learned, an investigation into these incidents is still underway, and there will be no disciplinary action taken (if deemed necessary) until it’s completed. Meanwhile, few details are available about the refresher training beyond the fact that it will be mandatory for all behavior officers and will presumably include information debunking myths and stereotypes about what terrorists look like.
All-American Terrorist
As has been pointed out many times before, Timothy McVeigh looked the part of the stereotypical all-American of an earlier age, and was a U.S. military veteran as well – he was also a terrorist. His bombing of Oklahoma City’s federal building in 1995 killed 168 people including 19 children under the age of 6 and wounded more than 600.
