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Focus on Security Operations - Summaries of Presentations

Mark Duncan - Vice-president and Chief Operating Officer, Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA)

Mr. Duncan reviewed the start-up, operations and future outlook of CATSA.

CATSA has been in operation for two years. It has received significant support from Transport Canada, the airlines and the airports. It is guided by a Board of Directors, which includes industry representatives. The organization has grown from 7 employees to 154, with 4,000 screening officers across the country. There are 8 training centres as well as remote training capabilities to promote consistency.

CATSA developed national guidelines for hold baggage screening. Non-passenger random screening for all Class 1 airports will be implemented by the end of April 2004, and pilot projects for biometric cards (fingerprint and iris scan) are being introduced in Vancouver, Montreal, Kelowna and Charlottetown beginning in May 2004. New contracts were recently awarded for security screening at Canadian airports. All contractors are obligated to provide screening services with CATSA certified officers.

CATSA is now transitioning from its start-up phase to ongoing operations. Data that has been collected over the past year will be reviewed. For example, over 800,000 items have been intercepted in the pre-board screening process. These items will analyzed by type, frequency, and other factors to determine trends and how awareness might be improved. On average there are 900 reportable incidents each month, with about 100 of those incidents requiring police presence. Since January 2004, there have been 7 security breaches.

CATSA has been going live with whole baggage screening at a rate of once every three days, and is well on the way to meeting the objective of 100% whole baggage screening by December 2005.

The next phase will move CATSA from operations set-up to security management, including maintenance, oversight and monitoring. CATSA will be working to refine its service standards, complete the rollout of the biometrics cards and look at international standards and technology for screening.

CATSA will focus on the following key areas in the future:

• Practical threat-based security systems, including development of a prohibited items list that is harmonized with the U.S. list, optimizing pre-board screening lines, and striving for perfection for infiltration tests.

• Harmonization of approaches and systems with the U.S. and EU. CATSA's private sector delivery with public sector oversight approach falls somewhere between those of the U.S. and EU. Another example where harmonization is needed is CATSA's five-level system for whole baggage assessment vs. the U.S. one-level system. CATSA will also be monitoring the U.S. frequent traveller program for future implementation in Canada.

• Customer service improvements to address the need for different levels of service for different types of travellers and to improve service in peak periods. Other areas include development of more ticket-less systems and kiosk travel and the refining of procedures for checked baggage.

Mr. Duncan noted that CATSA will work in partnership with industry and other government departments to better contribute to national security.