San Jose's director of aviation took to the podium Thursday night to answer questions about airport security stemming from to high-profile stowaway adventures, but didn't appease many in the crowd because she said she couldn't divulge many particulars.
Director of Aviation Kim Aguirre told council members at a public meeting that the teen who stowed away in the wheel well of a plane in May and 62-year-old Marilyn Hartman who got on a Southwest flight in August without a boarding pass at Mineta San Jose International Airport were the only "major" breaches in her 19 years at the airport, the Mercury News first reported.
That's because she said the Transportation Security Administration prohibited her from releasing more information about those or any other incidents. What she did freely speak about were the new stepped-up efforts at the airport to track security breaches, including the "Sneaky Sam," program, where employees are tested in secret drills to see if they allow or ban mock passengers on flights. If employees fail the test - not detecting an employee without a badge - they could get a security strike on their record, or face other disciplinary actions.
Council members weren't happy, the Mercury News reported, however that they couldn't get specifics on the past breaches.
Councilman Pete Constant, a retired cop, for example, said: "I don't know if the TSA can put a gag order on our own employees — it's our facility."
Constant and Councilman Sam Liccardo had demanded that Aguirre report to the committee what's been done since those two reported stowaway incidents, what improvements have been made, what other kind of breaches have occurred and how many.
In response, the Mercury News said Aguirre said her administration is working with nonprofit airport safety consortium National Safe Skies Alliance — a consumer group that is evaluating technology from three local companies that could be used to help safeguard the perimeter — and gave a breakdown of what entities are responsible for the various security aspects at the airport.
