Airport Security
Programmes: revising and approving
The backbone of every airport’s security arrangements is its security programme.
Technology, legislation and human factors combine to provide an environment
in which we can successfully negate threats. Thomas Anthony outlines some
practical steps that can be taken to revise such programmes.
Rule # 2: Approach the Task as if you
T
he task of revising the Airport It’s the old “Set a thief to catch a thief”
Security Programme (ASP) can be mentality.
were Dining on an Elephant
a daunting one. Simply the size The idea is to start from the basic reality Take it one bite at a time. Don’t try to digest
alone is enough to cause some of us to of the airport itself. Does something look it in just one meal. Again, your ASP is much
put it off to another day. Maybe it’s the reasonable and make sense. Or, does some- like your airport. It is in need of constant
fear that something might be left out, or thing look not right? Does something not feel repair and attention. You wouldn’t put off
that the end product will not be a perfect right? Take a notebook with you. Walk around maintenance on your gates, jetways, runways,
specimen. The secret is, though, that no and drive around. Given your predetermined Navaids and vehicles until they all needed to
ASP is perfect. It doesn’t need to be. It target(s), how would YOU make your attack be repaired at once. It would bring the airport
just needs to be very, very good. Good if you were the adversary. Based upon what to a standstill. Take the ASP a chapter at a
enough to do the job. Perfection is some- an outsider can see, how would you plan an time. Yes, the different chapters will interrelate
times the enemy of getting something attack that would provide the least chance of so make notes for future updates. But by
accomplished. detection. Once you have done that, go over taking it a chapter at a time you can address
In many ways the ASP is like the airport the same drill at night, and on the weekend, the most pressing issue first and get it done.
itself. It is big, unwieldy, and always in need and early in the morning. We all work at the
to maintenance. It is a project that is never airport day in and day out, so we assume that
Rule #3: Go Back to Basics
done. With that in mind there are several we know the airport. Your airport may be a ICAO Standard 3.2.1 requires international air-
suggestions that have helped me with the substantially different place at 0200 hours. ports to have an ASP. ICAO requires that each
revision/approval process of the ASP. Once you have surveyed your own airport member state have a national programme.
through the eyes of a terrorist or criminal Many states pass laws and regulations that
Rule #1: Don’t Start with the Old ASP.
and have a visceral feel for the strengths and implement these requirements. What does the
The place to start in revising an ASP is outside weaknesses of your airport and have written actual language of the National Programme
at the airport. Leave the old ASP on the shelf them all down, now is the time to take the say? What does the actual language of the
in your office. Remember, the value of an ASP next step. Call a friend. This is generally not laws and regulations require? Laws and
is not the perfection of the document itself an easy step. regulations change over time. Go back to
but rather what happens in reality. That reality Call a friend that you really trust and is the original source documents and compare
is out on the tarmac, or along the perimeter first and foremost discrete. The friend will them with the language of the ASP. Make sure
fence, or at the vehicle gate. most likely be one of your peers from another that your ASP meets the current requirements
Try to approach your airport with a fresh airport. It is now your trusted associate’s of the National Programme, the laws and
set of eyes. Try to approach it from the turn to look at your airport through the eyes regulations. By simply using the old ASP as
perspective of an adversary. Start from the of an aggressor. Make sure your associate a guide you run the risk creating a document
landside, outside the fence, from the same understands the ground rules of absolute that is not current and up to date.
perspective that an adversary would. Think confidentiality. If he or she is a peer from
like a “bad guy.” Identify what would be the another airport, the need for confidentiality
Rule #3: I Know you are Superman
likely targets. Where would you observe will be understood but best to state it out in
(Superwoman) But…
from? Where would you hide? Remember, the clear from the outset. Parents of teenagers will be familiar with the
shadows and cover are your friends now. This is where to start. You start with the underlying principle here. It’s the “Yes, I’m
Try to avoid being observed by the police or totality and reality of the airport itself. This sure I can do my mathematics homework
airport operations personnel. If you wanted way you are less likely to miss something big. while listening to The Rock Monsters from
to get in how would you do it? Suddenly, low Remember, save your notes, most of us can’t Space being played at maximum decibels”
hanging branches and fire escapes present remember everything we saw a few weeks or scenario.
themselves and start to look interesting. months ago. Trying to revise or approve an ASP while
32
www�asi-mag�com April 2006 Aviationsecurityinternational
0407 asi v12n2 v1.indd 32 6/4/06 9:12:55 pm
Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44