The Final Word
A Personal View
expressed by Tom Jensen
“...it is always a challenge to get test information to
legitimate users without releasing sensitive
information to the wrong parties...”
I occasionally hear the expression, “We our testing programmes to the people toward a common cause. The travelling
are our own worst enemies.” A more who need the information without public needs to manage its expectations
poignant statement was made by Walt violating clearance requirements for better, worrying less about inconvenience
Kelly’s cartoon character, Pogo, who said, security sensitive information. and more about moving forward in our
“We have met the enemy, and he is us.” As an example, we test numerous pursuit of peace and security. The
I do not intend to diminish the perimeter protection devices at our challenge extends to all citizens, not just
enormous challenges that face the world Perimeter Test Facility at the airport in to the Transportation Security
community with terrorism at all levels. Knoxville, Tennessee. Major potential Administration or the Department of
No one connected in any way with the users for the resulting test reports are the Homeland Security.
horror of 9/11 or the losses in Lockerbie decision makers at the nation’s airports Add the growing problems associated
or the attack in Glasgow would ever who have the responsibility to protect with capacity and we have major
suggest that “we” conspired in any both people and property. It is always a discomfort coming, even if security delays
manner in these tragedies. challenge to get the test information to and confrontations are completely
Instead, I speak of the lack of these legitimate users without releasing eliminated. Some government projections
coordination, communication, and sensitive information to the wrong suggest a three-fold growth in aviation
common purpose among the important parties. In addition, manufacturers of passengers by the year 2025. Others
partners: government, industry, aviation, these devices who would like to improve suggest that the downward pressure
and the travelling public. their products could benefit from the caused by poor service and increasing
We have made disappointingly slow results of our tests, as long as the proper delays will counter the upward pressure
progress in the field deployment of protections were established for the from increased demand for more service,
technological innovations aimed at release of this sensitive information. A with the flying public caught in the middle.
reducing the risk of actions by terrorists. level of trust is necessary and indeed vital With this perfect storm brewing, we
Indeed, we have stove piping in for progress to occur in areas inside and need to forget the stove pipes and
governmental agencies that isolates raw outside of governmental purview. energise cooperation and transparency
information due to the specialised I appreciate the fact that in our world, between government, industry, airports,
nature or security requirements of a change follows disaster. After 9/11, the airlines, vendors, and the flying public.
particular technology. Metaphorically flying public was eager to be Pogo also said, “We are confronted with
speaking, information is pruned to a inconvenienced if they believed that they insurmountable opportunities.” But there
confined space, rather than extended to were contributing to the aircraft’s safety is still time to prove him wrong about our
new areas where it can branch out and and security. At that time, public outcry inability to get to those opportunities or
yield a greater harvest of security occurred when news reports highlighted a the true identity of the enemy.
improvement. In the United States, much lapse in the effectiveness of screening It is really up to us!
of the restriction comes from the rather than the extra steps caused by it.
bureaucracy of 22 agencies trying to Now that we have essentially recovered
function within the Department of from the enormous losses that are no
Homeland Security – it is difficult for longer so vivid in our memories, we are Tom Jensen is President and CEO of the
improvements from one agency to reach more interested in eliminating the National Safe Skies Alliance, a non-profit
sister agencies efficiently. We should inconvenience. Americans need to regain consortium dedicated to advancing
encourage the continued consolidation their sense of national conscience and aviation security by conducting
of efforts to open the flow of technology recapture the feeling of dedication to an independent testing and evaluation of
to the field, where it can benefit multiple important goal, much as we had during anti-terrorism technologies in airports
transportation communities. the World War II years. Our enemy is more across the United States of America and
A difficult balance for our enigmatic in this current war, which at its permanent testing facilities at
organisation is to provide results from requires us to band tightly together McGhee Tyson Airport.
48 December 2007 Aviationsecurityinternational
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