The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is upgrading security clearances for 10,000 of its airport personnel, which will give them access to “secret” intelligence to help spot terrorists by giving them more up-to-date and detailed information about tactics and threats. Managers, supervisors and “behavior detection officers” will get access to “secret” information.
Employees being cleared represent about 20% of the TSA’s airport workforce and will take up to two years to complete. The majority of TSA’s HQ managers already have “secret” or higher-level clearances for classified information. TSA screeners, those inspecting people and luggage at airport security checkpoints will not have the security clearance.
There has been some discussion as to whether flight crews should have access to the same “secret” information as well.
