New TSA Administrator Discusses Global Aviation Security

November 29, 2017

Over the last nine months, the Transportation Security Administration has implemented new security standards for flights to the U.S. and international airports with connections to the United States. Working with allies and industry, David Pekoske, who became the seventh administrator of the TSA in August, is leading the global effort to raise standards for aviation security.

In this Events @ RAND podcast, Pekoske joins RAND terrorism and security expert Brian Michael Jenkins for a discussion about the TSA's strategy and approach to operations in the face of evolving threats to transportation from terrorist groups and the individuals they inspire.

Featured Speakers

David Pekoske

Administrator, Transportation Security Administration

Brian Jenkins, photo by Diane Baldwin/RAND Corporation

Brian Michael Jenkins

Senior Adviser to the President of RAND

Learn More

TSA Flunked Its Security Test Big Time — Now What?
Jun 15, 2015
Brian Michael Jenkins @BrianMJenkins

We have to accept that humans, no matter how well-trained they are or how dedicated they are to their mission, are just not very good at maintaining laser-like focus while performing repetitive tasks. That does not mean airport security can ever be completely given over to machines.
Want to Create Problems? Arm the TSA
Nov 7, 2013
Brian Michael Jenkins @BrianMJenkins

With its current 47,000 screeners, an armed TSA would become the federal government's largest armed entity outside of the military. In the eyes of many, arming TSA screeners would change the image of the organization from a service aimed at guaranteeing safe air travel to an unwanted imposition of federal authority.
An Assessment of TSA's Risk Management Analysis Tool Finds Some Gaps
Nov 26, 2012
Andrew R. Morral @AndrewMorral, Carter C. Price @CarterCPrice, et al.

The Transportation Security Administration's RMAT has enabled a more sophisticated understanding of terrorism risks to the air transportation system, but TSA should not treat RMAT results as credible estimates. Rather, the results can help to inform the components of terrorism risk and possible influences of system changes on that risk.