Why One Security Expert Chooses NOT to Fly

I fly an average of 40 segments on commercial airliners each year. Like most Americans, I have watched with increasing alarm and dismay the disjointed, draconian and ineffective "security" measures put in place by the inept powers to be at the TSA.

Unlike most Americans, I have spent the last 35 years of my adult life training security personnel and assessing security weakness and vulnerabilities across the United States and for a wide variety of environments.

On October 20th I was subjected to the new "pat-down" procedure not once-but twice prior to boarding my flight. The TSA officer who conducted the pat-down obviously had no prior experience conducting a physical search. While reciting a memorized list, the guard ("officer" implies a degree of training and professionalism) failed to make eye contact with me once, never listened to my responses to his questions, never observed my body language.

At the conclusion of the examination, a supervisor stepped in and told him to "do it again" which he proceeded to do, while a third TSA representative removed my wallet from my pocket and walked away with it without a word. When I turned to see where the guard was taking my wallet, I was told to "keep my eyes front". When I informed them I wanted to keep an eye on my wallet I was told "nothing has ever gone missing". Remember the date? October 20th? In less than an hour, the news would report multiple indictments of TSA representatives including a supervisor for theft.

Capricious searches that have no foundation in either intel or observed behavior continue as crying children, embarrassed nuns, and humiliated senior citizens are subjected to clumsy, painful poking and prodding with no defined or discernable value by improperly trained guards while the overwhelming volume of luggage and cargo is loaded into the belly of the plane without evaluation, review, or inspection.

A percentage of my work involves interviewing inmates in State and Federal Prisons across the United States and including "Super Max" facilities and death row inmates. The screening procedure to enter these facilities is less intrusive, yet more effective.

The TSA continues to ignore the advice of experienced security experts like Rafi Ron with a proven track record for making airports and airliners safe and secure. Indeed, when I spoke at length with the TSA supervisor after my free medical exam, I was stunned to discover that he had never seen a presentation by Ron or any other number of experts who had practical experience in operating effective, incident free airport facilities.

The myriad "holes" in current airport security are glaringly obvious to a trained professional and it would be unethical and improper for me to list them here. Suffice it to say, that current measures implemented by the TSA are "eyewash" security ie: measures that have little or no real or substantive value, but are rather, intended to reassure an uninformed public that all is well.

A comprehensive "tiered" approach to security is critical in order to protect the perimeter, exterior and interior of our transportation hubs, as well as reasonably reducing the probability of a terrorist event in flight.

Until such time as meaningful and effective strategies and measures are put in place to protect the traveling public, I choose to avoid flying whenever possible.

Akal Security

Throughout the communities we serve, Akal Security is known for providing exceptional service to its clients. The reputation is justly earned with Akal employees fully committed to living Akal’s mission, vision and values in their daily work.

Akal’s mission, vision and values not only guide the company’s actions and decisions, but also serve as the foundation on which Akal builds relationships with clients, co-workers, local communities, and others. Of particular importance are the values. Employees are expected to embrace and incorporate them into the performance of their jobs.

Company History :

Since its establishment in 1980, Akal Security has grown from a small local firm to one of the largest contract security companies in the United States. Started with a $1,200 loan from one of our founders, Akal has grown steadily by exceeding client expectations, and by remaining dedicated to service and employee development.

Today, Akal is the largest provider of contract Judicial Security services, protecting federal courthouses in 40 states. Akal specializes in providing security for critical federal government facilities, state and local government agencies and military installations.

Akal also provides security for corporate clients, including leading companies in transportation, energy and technology.

Akal is one of America’s largest security personnel firms. We’ve grown over 26 years from a small New Mexico start-up, securing small businesses in our local communities, to a major global services provider, and one of the top 100 government contractors in America. Akal Security’s unlimited commitment to serving our clients, employees and communities remains the foundation of the exceptional services our people provide every day, across the nation and around the world.

U.S. owned and operated since 1980.

The largest judicial security contractor in the United States.

Protecting facilities vital to our nation’s security in 40 states and 20 countries.

Named America’s top employer of disabled veterans in 2005.

Ranked as one of the top 100 civilian contractors in the United States by Government Executive Magazine.

Delivering a focus on Quality, Training, and Compliance through its innovative QTC Program.

Afghan government disbands private security firms

 The Afghan government is determined to shut down all private security companies operating in the country and has already disbanded 57 such firms, the Interior Ministry official in charge of the process said Tuesday.

President Hamid Karzai issued a decree in August ordering all private security companies to be disbanded by Dec. 17, but a shortage of qualified police led to a deadline extension in several cases, such as for companies protecting development and aid projects or diplomatic sites.

Gen. Abdul Manan Farahi said 57 private security firms have already been shut down and 3,000 of their guards disarmed. He said companies protecting aid and development projects and diplomatic missions would be able to continue operating but only within the premises they are guarding.

"They should be inside their premises, not outside," Farahi said, adding that the security guards "should not interfere" in police work outside their own sites.

Many of aid and development companies had said they would have to cease operations in volatile provinces in the south and east if they could not use private security guards to protect their workers and their projects.

According to the government's plan, all other employers of private guards will gradually start using a special police unit called the Afghan Public Protection Force.

Karzai has said the existence of dozens of private security firms undermines the Afghan security forces — creating militias that often flout Afghan laws and regulations.

There are about 30,000 to 40,000 armed security guards working in Afghanistan, about 26,000 of them employed by the U.S. military or government, according to Afghan and U.S. officials.

Farahi acknowledged that there were security concerns but that the capabilities of the Afghan police have been increasing.

"I would like to clearly state that the (Interior Ministry), in order to fill the gaps and build the capacity and increase the capability of security, has taken essential steps," he said. "And with the new capacity, these private security companies will be disbanded and will be replaced by police."

Government employment overall was little changed in October

The number of unemployed persons, at 14.8 million, was little changed in October. The unemployment

rate remained at 9.6 percent and has been essentially unchanged since May. (See table A-1.)

Among the major worker groups, the unemployment rate for adult men (9.7 percent), adult women

(8.1 percent), teenagers (27.1 percent), whites (8.8 percent), blacks (15.7 percent), and Hispanics (12.6

percent) showed little change in October. The jobless rate for Asians was 7.1 percent, not seasonally

adjusted. (See tables A-1, A-2, and A-3.)

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The number of long-term unemployed (those jobless for 27 weeks and over) was about unchanged over

the month at 6.2 million. In October, 41.8 percent of unemployed persons had been jobless for 27 weeks

or more. (See table A-12.)

Both the civilian labor force participation rate, at 64.5 percent, and the employment-population

ratio, at 58.3 percent, edged down over the month. (See table A-1.)

The number of persons employed part time for economic reasons (sometimes referred to as involuntary

part-time workers) fell by 318,000 over the month to 9.2 million, partially offsetting large increases

in the prior 2 months. These individuals were working part time because their hours had been cut back

or because they were unable to find a full-time job. (See table A-8.)

About 2.6 million persons were marginally attached to the labor force in October, up from 2.4 million

a year earlier. (The data are not seasonally adjusted.) These individuals were not in the labor force,

wanted and were available for work, and had looked for a job sometime in the prior 12 months. They

were not counted as unemployed because they had not searched for work in the 4 weeks preceding the

survey. (See table A-16.)

Among the marginally attached, there were 1.2 million discouraged workers in October, an increase of

411,000 from a year earlier. (The data are not seasonally adjusted.) Discouraged workers are persons not

currently looking for work because they believe no jobs are available for them. The remaining 1.4 million

persons marginally attached to the labor force had not searched for work in the 4 weeks preceding

the survey for reasons such as school attendance or family responsibilities. (See table A-16.)

Establishment Survey Data

Total nonfarm payroll employment increased by 151,000 in October, reflecting job gains in mining

and a number of service-providing industries. Private-sector payroll employment rose by 159,000

over the month; since December 2009, employment in the private sector has risen by 1.1 million.

(See table B-1.)

Within professional and business services, employment in temporary help services continued to

increase in October, with a gain of 35,000. Temporary help services has added 451,000 jobs since a

recent low in September 2009. Employment in computer systems design and related services increased

by 8,000 in October and has risen by 53,000 since a recent low in June 2009.

Health care continued to add jobs in October (+24,000). The gain was in line with the average increase

over the prior 12 months (+20,000).

Retail trade employment rose by 28,000 in October, including increases in automobile dealers (+6,000)

and in electronics and appliance stores (+5,000). After reaching a trough in December 2009, employment

in retail trade has expanded by 128,000.

Within leisure and hospitality, a job loss in arts, entertainment, and recreation (-26,000) in October

offset a gain in food services and drinking places employment (+24,000). The food services industry

has added 143,000 jobs since a recent low in December 2009.

Mining employment continued to trend up (+8,000) over the month. Since a recent low in October

2009, mining has added 88,000 jobs.

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Employment in manufacturing changed little in October (-7,000) and, on net, has essentially been flat

since May. The industry had added 134,000 jobs during the first 5 months of this year.

Elsewhere in the private sector, employment in construction, wholesale trade, transportation, information,

and financial activities showed little change in October.

Government employment overall was little changed in October. Employment in local government, excluding

education, decreased by 14,000 over the month and has fallen by 123,000 over the past 12

months. The number of temporary decennial census workers fell by 5,000 in October. After peaking at

564,000 in May, there were only about 1,000 temporary decennial census workers remaining on Federal

payrolls in October.

The average workweek for all employees on private nonfarm payrolls increased by 0.1 hour in October

to 34.3 hours. The manufacturing workweek for all employees also increased by 0.1 hour, to 40.3 hours,

while factory overtime was unchanged at 3.0 hours. The average workweek for production and nonsupervisory.