Manchester Airport has been forced to rethink trials of its invasive new X-ray machine after claims the “naked” images of airline passengers could violate child pornography laws.

This week, the airport began a year-long trial of the full-body scanner, which can instantly detect any hidden weapons or explosives without passengers having to remove any of their clothing – such as shoes and belts – for a search.

It effectively does away with the need to frisk passengers and is expected to speed up the security process at airports, but the cost of that is passengers are starkly naked in front of security staff. Genital outlines are clearly visible on the screen.

The scanner’s manufacturer, RapiScan, is already eyeing further airports around the world. A few weeks ago it sold 30 of the $US160,000 ($174,000) scanners to the US Transportation Security Administration, Forbes reported.

The Times in Britain reported that the number sold to the US was closer to 1000.

The technology has already been trialled at Heathrow airport and if the trials are successful it could be rolled out across Britain.

But British children’s advocate Action on Rights for Children (ARCH) said the technology would fall foul of the country’s Protection of Children Act, which states it is an offence to “’show” and “make” an indecent image of a child.

The group said it was irrelevant that the naked images were not stored and that parents’ permission was required before children could be scanned. It pointed to a provision in the act outlawing “pseudo-photographs”.

A child rights campaigner, Shy Keenan, told Sky News: “We can’t allow a line to be crossed in case perverts try to say they were only looking at images for a short time and weren’t storing them.”

Manchester Airport initially argued that its scanner was lawful and exempt from the child pornography laws because it was used for the “prevention and detection of crime”. ARCH said a good reason was required to qualify for this exemption.

The airport admitted on Thursday that it might be illegal for children to use the scanner. It said it would not allow anyone under 18 to use the device if it is advised the practice is unlawful.

“Since a number of people have been in touch and pointed out that there might be a problem, we have ourselves been in touch with charities working in this area to take further advice,” an airport spokesman told The Register.

“As far as Manchester Airport is concerned, we are not in the business of endangering children – our only interest is in making sure all passengers get on the plane safely. We will abide by the advice given by experts in this area.”

AAP  October 13, 2009 8:05PM

AN x-ray machine which takes “naked” images of airline passengers is undergoing trials in England as part of a new high-tech security system.

Manchester Airport has begun using the full-body scan machine which can instantly detect any hidden weapons or explosives without passengers having to remove any of their clothing for a search.

However, some passengers fear the machine reveals a little too much, including breast enlargements, the outline of genitals and body piercings.

Airport officials insist the black and white images taken of passengers in the walk-through booth machine were not pornographic and would be destroyed immediately.

The airport’s head of customer experience, Sarah Barrett, said the machine removed the need for passengers to take off coats, shoes and belts at security checks as well as the “pat down” search, procedures which were detested by most people.

The machine, which cost about STG80,000 ($AU139,263) beams electromagnetic waves at passengers while they stand in a booth.

A three-dimensional image is then created and assessed by an officer sitting in a separate part of the airport.

Passengers at the airport still have the option of refusing a scan and opting for the more traditional security checks.

The Victorian Law reform commission’s Surveillance in Public Places: Consultation Paper has been released for public comment. The consultation paper includes:
• An explanation of how surveillance is used in public places and how it is regulated
• A discussion of privacy theory in the context of public places
• An examination of the risks and benefits of public place surveillance
• Proposals for reform

Download the paper

The deadline for submissions has now passed.

Licensing Services Division (LSD) has sent a letter dated 13 March 2009 to all approved Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) to advise them of two new conditions being imposed on their approval by the Chief Commissioner under the provisions of section 172 (2) of the Private Security Act 2004.

LSD undertakes to impose conditions on approvals to ensure the quality of training and assessment is at an acceptable standard for security licensing purposes. The level of training being delivered by approved RTOs is to set the standard by which the competence of the security industry will be measured in the future. The authority granted to training organisations confers a very clear responsibility to ensure that the expectation held by government, approved security industry organisations, employers and the community of a well trained security industry is in no way compromised by the delivery of sub-standard training and assessment.

Concerns have been raised that some approved RTOs are delivering the Certificate III in Security Operations (Crowd Control) together with the Certificate II in Security Operations up front before licensing and in time frames which are inconsistent with their approval.

With the implementation of the Private Security Act 2004 on 1 July 2005, LSD introduced a conditional system of training for licensing purposes where minimum entry-level requirements were imposed on security guard and crowd control licences. The requirements stipulated further units that were to be completed within 12 months for Certificate II in Security Operations and that the Certificate III in Security Operations was to be delivered within two years for crowd control. These requirements were introduced after consultation with the Private Security Industry and have been imposed by the Chief Commissioner as specific training conditions on security guard and crowd control licences under the provisions on Section 31 of the Private Security Act 2004.

On 22 October 2008, LSD communicated their intention to approved RTOs to impose two further approval conditions and invited industry feedback. All written submissions received in response to the proposal were considered and investigated. As a result of this process a letter dated 13 March 2009 was forwarded to RTOs advising the introduction of the following two conditions, which if breached may result in their approval being revoked.

The two conditions are:

1. The Certificate II in Security Operations shall not be delivered in less than ten days (80 hours) of training (excluding First Aid) in a classroom environment; and
2.  The Certificate III in Security Operations (Crowd Control) will not be delivered to a person holding a private security individual operator licence for less than 3 months.

A joint Australian Security Industry Association Limited (ASIAL) and Tasmania Police initiative resulted in a discussion type exercise being held at Hobart for twenty five (25) middle managers from various private security firms throughout Tasmania and five (5) senior police representatives.

A scenario was progressively presented to the participants to identify operational issues ranging from risk assessment, planning, command and control, manpower availability, equipment, communications, and training needs as they relate to a joint operation at a mass casualty incident.

The aim of the discussion exercise was intended to primarily evaluate the security industry’s capacity to provide venue security for major international meetings and arrangements to respond to mass casualty incidents with police and other government agencies.

Mr Michael Brazendale, Acting Assistant Commissioner said that Tasmania Police members are highly trained in the various command and control elements of crisis management for emergency response and exposure to these concepts by the private security industry can only be beneficial.

“We recognize that there will be requirements for the security industry and police to work together in crisis management in the future to resolve issues and any opportunity to assess strengths and weaknesses from both perspectives is a most worthwhile exercise”, Mr Brazendale said.

Mr Bryan de Caires, CEO of ASIAL (the peak national body for Australia’s $4.5 billion private security industry), who observed the exercise as it progressed, said that the days activities had been extremely productive in not only bringing police and security officers together, but in identifying a number of practical administrative and operational issues that will need refinement.

 “The exercise provided a most worthwhile opportunity for the Tasmanian private security industry and Tasmania Police to assess their respective capabilities and to work together in removing potential barriers to their effective inter-operability in the event of major crisis. We will be sharing the outcomes of the exercise with all ASIAL member States and Territories with a view to enhancing existing relationships with other law enforcement agencies”, Mr De Caires said.

The NSW Police Force’s position in relation to training certificates issued by Roger Training Academy Pty Ltd is being finalised. Until finalised, the Registry advises that the following application types cannot be progressed if supported by training certificates issued by Roger Training Academy Pty Ltd:

applications to obtain an initial security licence applications for a new licence by suspended or revoked licensees applications to add a new Provisional or Class 1 subclass to an existing licence applications to upgrade a Provisional licence to a Class 1 licence

The Registry will notify all persons affected by this issue once the NSW Police Force’s position is confirmed. ASIAL will keep members updated as new information becomes available.

 

The Vocational Training Tribunal Unit of the Department of Education and Training (DET) has released advice that the establishment of Security Operations traineeships has been suspended at the request of the Security Industry Registry.

The SIR recommended the suspension of such traineeships because of the implications for them of the current investigation of security licensing training related matters by the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC).

Under the circumstances, the SIR considers (and DET agrees) that it would be inappropriate to establish further Security Operations traineeships until the release of the ICAC’s investigation findings.

ADT Security has received the 2009 Frost & Sullivan Asia Pacific Industrial Technologies Award for Physical Security Company of the Year.

Frost & Sullivan presented the award to ADT Security for demonstrating insight into its customers’ needs and optimizing its product line to meet the needs of the various market segments.

In its fourth year, the Frost & Sullivan Industrial Technologies Awards recognize excellent achievements of companies in various industries in Asia Pacific.

The Frost & Sullivan Industrial Technologies Awards honour outstanding performances by companies in such industries as electronics and security, industrial automation and process control, energy and power systems, chemicals materials and food industries, as well as new and emerging technologies.

Award recipients are selected based on Frost & Sullivan’s in-depth analysis of their industries, extensive evaluations and research.

Cisco Wednesday expanded its physical-security product line with a digital surveillance camera and the introduction of the Cisco Physical Access Manager, an appliance that acts as a central point for managing existing door readers, electronic locks and biometric devices.

The Cisco High Definition 1080P Intelligent IP camera, which can be controlled through a browser-based interface, supports the H.264 standard for video and captures video at 30 frames per second. According to Brian Apgar, Cisco senior director of engineering, the 1080P is an indoor camera that can be used with Cisco Video Surveillance Manager. This manager, offered as either an appliance or software, controls both digital and analog camera equipment.

The Cisco Physical Access Manager (PAM) is part of what Cisco is calling its Electronic Access Control system, its first product for integrated physical security for restricted building and door entry.

PAM is intended to control access to doors in a campus environment that are restricted through required door readers or biometric devices. It also provides a platform for integration into IP-based networks and the Cisco Video Surveillance Manager, so a single application can be established for alerts, alarms and other purposes, Apgar says.

Mercury-capable door readers are among the dozens of electronic-access control devices for doors supported by PAM, he points out.

The Cisco High Definition 1080P camera is expected to be available next month and Cisco PAM, marketed under the Cisco Electronic Access Control name, is expected to be available in June. Pricing has not yet been announced.