TRANSPORTATION SECURITY ADMINISTRATION DEPLOYS PASSENGER SCREENERS TO LOS ANGELES INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
(Washington, D.C. -- October 8, 2002) Acting Under Secretary of Transportation for Security Admiral James M. Loy announced the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) today deployed more than 450 federal security screeners, reflecting the diversity of the Los Angeles basin, to checkpoints in terminals seven and eight at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).
"TSA's commitment to hiring a screener workforce that represents America in all its cultural diversity is clearly visible in the Los Angeles International Airport," Admiral Loy commented. "Of the 450 screeners recruited, trained and deployed, more than 70 percent are minorities. These patriots clearly represent the fabric of the L.A. community."
During his remarks, TSA's Federal Security Director for LAX, Admiral David M. Stone said, "Our screeners exemplify TSA. They are professional men and women who mirror our community and are dedicated to ensuring the safety of America's traveling public as they provide both world-class security and world-class customer service."
"As the busiest origin-and-destination airport in the world, with the most passengers to screen, Los Angeles International Airport will have 1,600 federal passenger security screeners -- more than any U.S. airport," said Lydia H. Kennard, executive director of Los Angeles World Airports. "I salute TSA for assembling a first-rate, culturally-diverse team representative of the greater Los Angeles community."In addition to new screeners starting work today, private screeners currently working at LAX are guaranteed a federal screening job if they pass the same assessment given to all new hires. This is a guarantee that does not extend to applicants new to the job.
TSA is aware that some private screeners are unable to meet the minimum screener qualifications required by law including U.S. citizenship, proficiency in English, a high school diploma or its equivalent, or one year security-related experience. TSA has worked with numerous public and private organizations in the Los Angeles area to ease the transition to a new job. That help ranges from resume writing to job training, application for jobless benefits and citizenship.
Across the nation, TSA is working with thousands of community groups -- including minority, ethnic, faith-based, military and women's organizations -- as part of a broad effort to attract the best candidates possible. In the Los Angeles area, a number of organizations have been asked to help recruit new screeners, including the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Los Angeles Council of Churches, Los Angeles Center for Training and Diversity, and the Los Angeles Chapter of the National Organization of Women.
Also today, TSA is deploying federal screeners to checkpoints at 15 airports, including three in California -- Fresno Yosemite International Airport, Metropolitan Oakland International Airport and Ontario International Airport.
