TSA credits officers with rescuing kidnapped woman

[Clear_blues]

Washington (CNN) -- TSA officers rescued a woman from two kidnappers as a group of travelers passed through a security checkpoint at Miami International Airport, the Transportation Security Administration said.
In the July 5 incident, the two TSA behavior detection officers, trained to spot terrorists in passenger lines, noticed the 25-year-old woman trembling and trying to hide facial injuries at an airline ticket counter. The woman at first said she was fine, but later broke down crying and said she had been kidnapped, the TSA said.
The officers separated the woman from her four travel partners, leading to her rescue and the arrest of two women in the group on kidnapping and other charges, the TSA said.
"Our officers recognized that the woman was in danger and acted immediately to protect her," said Mark Hatfield, the TSA's federal security director for Miami International Airport.
The incident was first reported Tuesday by Miami television station NBC 6, a day before a congressional hearing on TSA screener misconduct. Several TSA officials said the timing of the news release was coincidental.
Nonetheless, TSA Deputy Administrator John Halinski mentioned the kidnapping case as an example of good work being done by agency employees.

http://www.cnn.com/2012/08/01/travel...html?hpt=ju_c2

[lekomin]

Behavioral detection officers? Is this a real job description?

[usa320]

Behavioral detection officers? Is this a real job description?

Yes. they profile passengers who should be selected for extra screening based on behaviors they exhibit. Though, its a position that will eventually be phased out as all officers recieve the training program isntead of a select few.