The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) was created to strengthen the security of the nation’s transportation systems and ensure the freedom of movement for people and commerce. Today, TSA secures the nation’s airports and screens all commercial airline passengers and baggage. TSA works closely with transportation, law enforcement and intelligence communities to set the standard for excellence in transportation security.
The Aviation and Transportation Security Act (ATSA, Public Law 107-71) requires the TSA to develop, implement, and manage training programs for its transportation security workforce. TSA comprises nearly 65,000 employees including approximately 50,000 Transportation Security Officers (TSO) as well as Transportation Security Inspectors (TSI), explosives experts, Federal Air Marshals (FAMS), Federal Flight Deck Officers, and law enforcement led canine teams that operate in the aviation, multimodal, maritime, mass transit, and cargo environments.
Training and Development (TD) operates three training centers:
1) The TSA Academy (TSA-A) is located on the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) campus in Glynco, GA,. It is the primary home of TSO Basic Training Program Phase 2 for TSO new hires, and also provides training for Transportation Security Inspectors (TSI), Security Training Instructors (STI), and others. TSA-A and has a satellite location in Charleston SC that delivers leadership and security operations training to select TSOs, Leads, Supervisors and Managers.
2) The TSA Training Center (TSATC) is responsible for initial and recurrent training for all Federal Air Marshals, provides leadership training for TSA executive leaders, and trains members of the Federal Flight Deck Officer Program. The TSATC main campus is located on the grounds of the William J. Hughes FAA Technical Center in Atlantic City, New Jersey, with satellite locations on the FLETC campuses in Artesia, New Mexico and Dallas, Texas.
3) The Canine Training Center (CTC) is located on the Joint Base, San Antonio, TX. The CTC is responsible for training TSA’s passenger screening canine teams, as well as canine teams for local law enforcement entities. CTC staff select, purchase, and provide early training to TSA canines prior to pairing them with handlers as they are trained as a team.