WEBVTT THE TSA AND IOWA SAYS THEYTRYING HARDER THAN EVER TOIMPROVE THAT NUMBER.LOREN OLSON IS ON HIS WAY TOTEXAS IN SEARCH OF WARMERWEATHER.HE JUST HEARD ABOUT THE NEWINVESTIGATION THAT SHOWS AIRPORTSECURITY CHECKPOINTS ARE NOTFINDING DANGEROUS WEAPONS INCARRY-ON LUGGAGE.>> WELL I TRAVEL A FAIR AMOUNTAND THE IDEA THAT THERE ARE GUNSAVAILABLE TO SOMEBODY ON A PLADOES MAKE ME VERY NERVOUS. TODD: TWO YEARS AGO A SIMILARINVESTIGATION FOUND A 95%FAILURE RATE.BUT THE TSA SAYS NOT FINDING 7OF WEAPONS LIKE GUNS AND KNIVESIS STILL NOT GOOD ENOUGH.I THINK THE TRAVELING PUBLICIS VERY SAFE.TODD: IOWA TSA DIRECTOR DAVIDDAILEY SAYS THE SCREENINGPROCESS HAS IMPROVED, BUTCLEARLY THERE IS MORE WORK TO BEDONE.>> THERE'S NO EXCUSE FOR THOSERESULTS.HOWEVER, WE HAVE INVESTED IN OURWORKFORCE AND TRAINING AND WEHAVE A VERY DYNAMIC WORKFORCE.WE HAVE UPDATED OUR PROCEDURESTO HELP OUR WORKFORCE FOCUS ONATTACKING THREATS, AND WE HAVEIMPROVED TECHNOLOGY.TODD: IN ANOTHER NEW EFFORT TOINCREASE A SECURITY TSA HAS ANEW RULE THAT GOES INTO EFFECTHERE.IT AFFECTS HOW YOU CARRYELECTRONIC DEVICES IN YOURLUGGAGE. >> THE TRAVLING PUBLIC IS USEDTO REMOVING THEIRLAPTOPS.NOW WE ARE GOING TO ASK THEM TOE-READERS, I-PADS, GAMINGCONSOLES, ANY ELECTRONICS LARGTHAN A CELL PHONE.WE WANT TO TAKE A CLOSER LOOK ATTHOSE ITEMS. TODD: BUT AS LOREN OLSON POINTSOUT, NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS ATTHE SECURITY GATE, PEOPLE STILLHAVE TO FLY.
Iowa TSA: ‘No excuse’ for missing weapons in airport security
Updated: 6:14 PM CST Nov 10, 2017
An undercover investigation by Homeland Security revealed too many weapons are getting through airport security checkpoints. The investigation shows that undercover homeland security officers were able to bring dangerous weapons on board a plane 70 percent of the time. In 2015, a similar investigation found a 95 percent failure rate. Iowa TSA officials told KCCI that while the screening process has improved, but there is more work to be done. “There's no excuse for those results,” Iowa TSA director David Dailey said. “However, we've invested in our workforce and our training, and we have a very dynamic workforce. We've updated our procedures to help our workforce in detecting threats, and we've improved technology.” To beef up security, Iowa TSA plans to implement a new rule changing how travelers carry electronic devices in their luggage. “The traveling public is used to removing their laptops,” Dailey said. “Well, now we are going to ask them to remove e-readers, iPads, gaming consoles … any electronics larger than a cell phone. We want to take a closer look at those items.” Dailey said the Iowa TSA wants to invest in new CT scanners that could do a better job of detecting weapons, but the cost is slowing that goal down.
DES MOINES, Iowa — An undercover investigation by Homeland Security revealed too many weapons are getting through airport security checkpoints.
The investigation shows that undercover homeland security officers were able to bring dangerous weapons on board a plane 70 percent of the time.
In 2015, a similar investigation found a 95 percent failure rate.
Iowa TSA officials told KCCI that while the screening process has improved, but there is more work to be done.
“There's no excuse for those results,” Iowa TSA director David Dailey said. “However, we've invested in our workforce and our training, and we have a very dynamic workforce. We've updated our procedures to help our workforce in detecting threats, and we've improved technology.”
To beef up security, Iowa TSA plans to implement a new rule changing how travelers carry electronic devices in their luggage.
“The traveling public is used to removing their laptops,” Dailey said. “Well, now we are going to ask them to remove e-readers, iPads, gaming consoles … any electronics larger than a cell phone. We want to take a closer look at those items.”
Dailey said the Iowa TSA wants to invest in new CT scanners that could do a better job of detecting weapons, but the cost is slowing that goal down.