Airport Security; Screening procedures and what can we do to protect Research Paper

Airport Security; Screening procedures and what can we do to protect ourselves against terrorism in the skies - Research Paper Example These attacks prompted the US government to act fast to create stringent security laws that would ensure that the people of America were well protected. In the month of November 2001, the United States Congress created the Transportation Security Administration, commonly referred to as the TSA, under the Aviation and Transportation Act. The TSA is under the Department of Homeland Security and it is the body that holds the responsibility of overseeing security in all modes of travel and transportation. Airport security and aircraft hijacking are some of the organization’s top objectives (Caldwell, 2008). Homeland Security is the body that is tasked with maintaining security in all of the United States. TSA as part of the Homeland Security department is responsible for maintaining security in all modes of transport, most importantly at the airports. Some of the duties of the TSA as an airport security body are explained below. Among its other duties, the TSA was expected to come up with policies that would ensure that there was complete security in the US air traffic. The organization is responsible for the screening processes carried out in various airports. Both the passengers and their baggage are screened under the authority of TSA. The organization has employed about 45,000 screeners or Transportation Security Officers to carry out the screening process (Wells, 2004). Luggage theft is common in many airports across the US. The work of the TSA, according to Wells, also includes ensuring that luggage in airports is as secure as possible. The organization collaborates with other private and federal security agencies to ensure that screening and luggage security guidelines are followed without a problem. According to Tabler (2010), the TSA should be privatized if it is to carry its duties to the satisfaction of Americans. He says that most people are wary of the security breaches that happen in the airports where TSA does the