Local TSA adopts revised pat-down procedures

The Transportation Security Administration issued on Thursday new guidelines for screeners doing pat-down searches.

Now, passengers will only be patted down on the breasts if they set off a hand-held metal detector in the chest area or there is an irregularity or anomaly in the person’s clothing outline, TSA said.

Unless these criteria are met, screeners will only pat down a line below the breast area to the waist, followed by a pat-down of the passenger’s entire back.

TSA started conducting more frequent use of pat-down searches on Sept. 22, several weeks after two Russian jetliners exploded in midair, killing all aboard. Authorities believe two women smuggled explosives onto the aircraft, possibly in “torso packs” underneath their clothing.

TSA’s move, however, generated discussion and concerns among some passengers—mostly women—who felt violated by body searches.

“Pat-down searches are done if screeners notice something unusual about a passenger, or if an individual for secondary screening,” said TSA-Saipan’s interim federal security director Stanford Miyamoto. “Of course, we are also very attuned to the customer service aspect of our job. We allow private screening if the passenger requests it. We communicate our actions to the passenger before conducting the inspection, so they feel more comfortable about it.”

TSA also provided the following information on the new procedures:

* To better allow TSA to identify explosives, the agency implemented new passenger screening procedures that, in addition to expanded use of pat-down searches, provide screeners more latitude to refer individuals for additional screening.

* The changes are in line with a recent recommendation of the 9/11 Commission Report that all passengers selected for additional screening be checked for explosives.

* Additional screening, including pat-down searches, may be required of passengers based on visual observations by screeners, even if an audible alarm has not gone off.

* Federal security directors are responsible for ensuring at the local level that screeners are properly trained in the new protocols.

* TSA policy is that screeners are to use the back of the hand when screening sensitive body areas, which include the breasts (females only), genitals, and buttocks.

* For non-sensitive areas, including other parts of the torso, screeners are required to use the front of the hand.

* Screeners are required to offer private screening to passengers who are subject to additional screening. If you are not offered private screening you have the option to request a private screening location.

* Screeners of the same gender as the passenger will conduct the additional screening (except in extraordinary circumstances).