Aviation And Transportation Security Administration (TSA)

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I. Summary
Commercial airports have the option of using a government-operated system of administering airport security, or returning to privately owned and operated, contracted airport security organizations. While both serve a means of security, there is major ongoing debate on which should be implemented. Many people believe that a government-operated system revokes constitutional rights, and create more harm than good. However, people also believe that a privately owned and operated system will have many flaws, and will not provide the necessary security for airports. This analysis will compare the advantages and disadvantages of both systems.
II. Problem The problem is that with increased air traffic in the past decade, airline companies …show more content…

Alternative Actions
Alternative Action 1.
After the events that occurred on September 11th, 2001, Americans were petrified that those attacks could happen again. For that reason, the Aviation and Transportation Security Act was passed, and the Transportation Security Administration, or TSA, was born. Advantage 1. The main advantage of the TSA is the constant government oversight. The TSA receives roughly eight billion dollars from the U.S government annually. This money allows for the employment of over 50,000 personnel, and the use of state of the art X-ray machines in 450 airports nationwide. The TSA also partners with other government agencies, such as the FBI to conduct pre-flight passenger screenings. The FBI’s Terrorist Screening Center also partners with the TSA to determine a “no-fly” list, where nearly 16,000 individuals are deemed hazardous and are not allowed to fly in the United States. Since the TSA falls under the Department of Homeland Security, proper government oversight will continue, and Americans can be assured that they will be readily …show more content…

The main disadvantage of the TSA is the constant privacy infringement. Many people believe that the United States government had no right, according to the constitution, to illegally infringe on their privacy. The X-ray machines that the TSA currently uses to detect weapons, or explosives, causes privacy concerns. Another most recent privacy concern is TSA’s new “Pre-Check”, which allows passengers to pass through security checkpoints faster and with more ease. This requires a detailed background check for the passenger and also, they will have to surrender their fingerprints which can be used by law enforcement agencies.
Alternative Action 2. San Francisco International Airport implements a strict, and productive security system without the direct help of the government. Covenant Aviation Security is a privately owned and operated security agency within the SFO airport. Although they are contracted by the federal government, they are only overseen, and are not regulated by the TSA. Advantage 1. The main advantage of a privately owned and operated security system is that they can easily determine and address concerns at a single airport. Since private security firms are centralized at one location, they can easily determine employment needs. During peak seasons of the year, the company can hire more employees, and also regulate them during the off

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