ABSTRACT
Before 9/11, there were many warnings by sensible, highly experienced individuals about the lack of adequate security at airports in the United States,1 In one of the four terminals at Sky Harbor Airport in Phoenix, Arizona, a private security screening company had security lapses 125 times between M y 1997 and 2001.2 Lapses included improperly searching passengers and not finding weapons in screened bags. Since these security lapses are for only one terminal at one major airport, one can only imagine how many lapses occur at all the airports in the United States and the rest of the world. These lapses occurred while private security companies were in control of passenger screening. In the United States, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) now employs many of the same individuals formerly employed as private screeners. Will the security lapses stop just because the Federal government has taken over this function? Let us remember the US government was the policing agency in charge of security checkpoints both before and after 9/11, was aware of the problems, and yet permitted private security companies to operate with known shortcomings.
