Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Requested date:
03-February-2009
Released date:
02-June-2009
Posted date:
27-August-2012
Source of document:
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Transportation
Security
Administration
JUN - 2 2009
This letter is in response to your Freedom oflnformation Act (FOIA) request dated February 3,
2009, in which you are requesting the following information.
1. A copy of the SecOps Procedures Branch - Management Standard Operating
Procedures (Table of Contents Only)
2. A copy of the SecOps Procedures Branch - Checked Baggage Screening Standard
Operating Procedures (Table of Contents Only)
3. A printout of a listing or index of manuals and procedures manuals produced by the
SecOps Procedures Branch.
Your request has been processed under the FOIA, 5 U.S.C. 552.
A search within the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) was conducted and documents
(nine pages) responsive to your request were located. These documents have been reviewed and
eight pages are being released to you in their entirety. However, portions of one page are being
withheld pursuant to Exemption 2 of the FOIA. A more complete explanation of this exemption is
provided below.
Exemption 2 of the FOIA exempts from mandatory disclosure records that are "related solely
to the internal personnel rules and practices of any agency." The courts have interpreted the
exemption to encompass two distinct categories of information: (1) internal matters of a
relatively trivial nature - often referred to as "low 2" information; and (2) more substantial
internal matters, the disclosure of which would risk circumvention of a legal requirement often referred to as "high 2" information.
We have determined that certain portions of the requested records are properly withheld from
disclosure as "high 2" information, in that they contain internal administrative and/or
personnel matters to the extent that disclosure would risk circumvention of a regulation or
statute or impede the effectiveness of law enforcement activities. A more detailed
explanation follows.
Sensitive materials are exempt from mandatory disclosure under "high 2" when the requested
documents are predominantly internal, and disclosure significantly risks circumvention of a
www.tsa.gov
regulation or statute, including civil enforcement and regulatory matters. Whether there is
any public interest in disclosure is legally irrelevant. Rather, the concern under "high 2" is
that a FOIA disclosure should not benefit those attempting to violate the law and avoid
detection.
The fees incurred to process your request do not exceed the minimum threshold necessary for
charge and, therefore, there is no fee associated with the processing of this request.
In the event that you may wish to appeal this determination, an administrative appeal may be made
in writing to Kimberly Walton, Special Counselor, Office of the Special Counselor, Transportation
Security Administration, 601 South 12th Street, East Building, E7-121S, Arlington, VA 205986033 Your appeal must be submitted within 60 days from the date ofthis determination. It
should contain your FOIA request number and state, to the extent possible, the reasons why you
believe the initial determination should be reversed. In addition, the envelope in which the appeal
is mailed in should be prominently marked "FOIA Appeal." Please note that the Special
Counselor's determination of the appeal will be administratively final. If you have any questions
pertaining to your request, please feel free to contact the FOIA Office at 1-866-364-2872 or
locally at 571-227-2300.
Sincerely,
U.
FOIA Officer
Freedom of Information Act Office
Enclosure
www.tsa.gov
Revision: 3, Change 3
Date: July l, 2008
Implementation Date: July I, 2008
AVIATION SECURITY
SCREENING MANAGEMENT
STANDARD OPERATING
PROCEDURES
Transportation
Security
Administration
Transportation Security Administration (TSA) personnel and contractors must use and implement these standard
operating procedures in carrying out their functions related to security screening of passengers, accessible property and
checked baggage. Nothing in these procedures is intended to create any substantive or procedural rights, privileges, or
benefits enforceable in any administrative, civil, or criminal matter by prospective or actual witnesses or parties. See
United States v. Caceres, 440 U.S. 741 (1979).
Revision: 3, Change 3
Date: July I, 2008
Implementation Date: July I, 2008
TABLE OF CONTENTS
l. PURPOSE, DEFINITIONS, AND ACRONYMS .................................................................................................. I-t
1.1. PURPOSE .......................................................................................................................................................... I-1
1.2. DEFINITIONS ................................................................................................................................................... l-1
1.3. ACRONYMS ..................................................................................................................................................... l-4
1.4. DOCUMENT CONTROL AND AVAILABILITY .......................................................................................... 1-5
I.5. APPROVED SCREENING METHODS ........................................................................................................... l-7
1.6. PROHIBITED ITEMS ....................................................................................................................................... l-7
I. 7. PERMITTED ITEMS ........................................................................................................................................ 1-7
Revision: 3, Change 3
Date: July 1,2008
Implementation Date: July I, 2008
Revision: 3, Change 3
Date: July I, 2008
Implemcntation Date: July I, 2008
ATTACHMENT4-5:
ATTACHMENT 4-6:
CREDENTIAL .
BADGE AND
....................................................................................... 4-25
ATTACHMENT 4-7:
6.
IIAZARDOU~
Revision: 3, Change 3
Date: July 1,2008
Implementation Date: July I, 2008
Revision: 4
Date of Change: July 20, 2007
fmplementation Date: August 4, 2007
AVIATION SECURITY
STANDARD OPERATING
PROCEDURES
Transportation
Security
Administration
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) intends that TSA management, Transportation Security Officers, and
contractors use and implement these standard operating procedures in carrying out their functions related to security
screening of passenger checked baggage. Nothing in these procedures is intended to create any substantive or
procedural rights, privileges, or benefits enforceable in any administrative, civil, or criminal matter by prospective or
actual witnesses or parties. See United States v. Caceres, 440 U.S. 741 ( 1979).
Revision: 4
Date of Change: July 20, 2007
Implementation Date: August 4, 2007
TABLE OF CONTENTS
l. PURPOSE, DEFINITIONS, AND ABBREVIATIONS ................................................................................................. I-I
2.1.6.
Revision: 4
Date of Change: July 20,2007
Implementation Date: August 4, 2007
3.3.2.
4.3.2.
4.3.3.
4.3.4.
5.1.2.
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