TSA canines and expedited passenger screening

GAO report-18-236 indicates that US TSA passenger screening canines as a useful tool to minimize wait times and meet passenger screening demand surges. Canines are trained to detect explosives on passengers. "Airports at which screening canines are used can achieve a reduction in passenger with times through broader use of expedited screening."

I am familiar with the standard and pre-check TSA inspection modes.

QUESTIONS

Is expedited screening a synonym for the pre-check screening process (shoe exemption + WTMD)?
If not, What elements of expedited screening increase inspection throughput rates?
Does the canine "upgrade" of non-precheck passengers to become temporary pre-check eligible after passing the "sniff test"?

This question is posed in the hope that an observant traveller will have observed a canine and noticed a difference in process presented by the expanded use of an expedited screening process. Given my pre-check status, I would like to understand how (if at all) the security process changes for me so I can better plan my travel

Best Answer

I'm really struggling to understand what you're asking here. It seems like you're asking how to avoid dogs.

TSA can utilize whatever methods are approved for screening and to reduce wait times. Whether it be letting dogs go through groups, waiving groups over from the regular to pre-check lines, skipping people out of the body scanner to the magnetometer, etc.

Dogs can be trained to detect explosives and drugs and fruit and ... whatever else they want to screen for. You don't know what they're checking for.

So if you're in one line, and they pull out a dog, and you switch lines? I'm going to flag you for extra scrutiny.

Edit: Undid edit for 'waiving' as the word choice is correct- waiving as in 'bypassing'. Waving is correct too given moving the group over, but I was looking for 'bypassing groups' instead.

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What does a TSA dog do?

These highly trained explosives detection canine teams are a reliable resource at detecting explosives and provide a visible deterrent to terrorism directed towards transportation systems. TSA trains canine teams to operate in the aviation, multimodal, maritime, mass transit, and cargo environments.

How do you get TSA PreCheck?

To receive TSA PreCheck\xae, you must include your Known Traveler Number (your CBP PASSID for Global Entry, NEXUS, or SENTRI members) in the appropriate field of your airline reservation, and the TSA PreCheck\xae indicator must be displayed on the boarding pass to access the lanes.

Why do I always get swabbed at the airport?

As CNN explained, the Transportation Security Administration randomly swabs passengers' hands at checkpoints and airport gates to test them for traces of explosives. This was an expansion from simply swabbing luggage and other items.

How effective are TSA?

TSA Officers screened 585.3 million travelers in 2021, averaging about 1.6 million passengers per day. On average, 97.6% of passengers waited less than 20 minutes at airport security checkpoints, while 96.2% of passengers in TSA PreCheck\xae lanes waited less than 5 minutes.

GAO: TSA's Passenger Screening Canine Detects Explosive Training Device Inside Airport Terminal

Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

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