Job Description – Airport Security Officer
Responsibilities/objectives
The primary function for an Airport Security Officer (ASO) is passenger screening at the airport. Routine passenger screening operations require teams of six (6) persons per operational unit (Inclusive of a Team Leader). The basic screening positions are listed below.
Officers are rotated through each position in accordance with the Airport Operating
Procedures.
Loader
X-Ray Monitor
Physical Bag Search Operative
Passenger Monitor (walk- through metal detectors)
2 x Explosive Trace Detection (ETD) Operators (Hand and passenger baggage)
At each point the ASO is responsible for maintaining safety, working as part of a team and managing the public. Rotations of positions are mandatory in order to relieve stress and provide an opportunity for ASOs to maintain their attention to detail and composure. ASOs are exposed to frequent conflict with the public and must maintain a preparedness to engage in conflict negotiation. In addition to their primary duties, ASOs must be prepared for tasking on secondary duties.
Loader:
May request passengers and other persons attempting to enter the sterile area, to place items of hand baggage onto the conveyer.
May pass those items which passengers are concerned may be adversely effected by x-ray examination to the bag search operative for physical examination.
Controls the distribution of public through the screening point
X-Ray Monitor:
Views items of baggage passing through the X-ray unit and to decides if the contents falls into one of three categories: (a) Safe, (b) Possible threat, or (c) Obvious threat
Where the contents are assessed as safe, the ASO is authorised to allow the item to continue to the point where it is claimed by the passenger. In situations (b) or (c) the operative is authorised to alert the bag search operative to initiate a physical examination of the item. The ASO’s judgement is accepted as mandatory for the bag search operative to carry out the physical search.
Physical Bag Search Officer
On alert from the x-ray monitor, and on some occasions on a random basis, the operative is authorised to physically examine the item to ensure nothing in (b) or (c) is contained in the item.
In the event that nothing is found in those categories, the operative is authorised to return the item to the passenger. The ASO’s authority is limited to that circumstance and if items are found under (b) or (c), the Team Leader must be advised and further actions or decisions are the responsibility of that person.

Passenger Monitor

Authorised to permit unrestricted access to those persons who negotiate the electro magnetic walk-through detector without activating the alarm.
May perform hand-held metal detector search of any person who passes through the unit and initiates the alarm device. May ask for the production of items in that area i.e. pockets to satisfy himself/herself that items are acceptable.
In the event that a passenger is required to undertake a physical examination, or the source of the alarm cannot be detected by electronic means, the officers is to advise the Team Leader who will make the decision regarding further action.

Trace Operator
Screening officers are regularly required to carry out Explosive Trace Detection (ETD) on passengers moving through the screening point.
On a continuous random basis, required to test the passenger, the external surfaces of hand baggage and the internal space of hand baggage. In the event that a passenger or their hand baggage records a positive test result, the matter is made known to the Team Leader and dealt with in accordance with Standard Operating
Procedures.
NB: All these procedures are carried out with the consent of the passenger. In the event