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Book Review: Protecting Transportation

?Butterworth Heinemann; elsevier.com; 398 pages; $74.95

This textbook offers a review of accepted transportation security procedures and directives, with an emphasis on policies and financing these policies, both in the United States and in other countries, especially the United Kingdom.

Maritime, surface travel, and aviation security before September 11, 2001, is described as minimal; but following that date, transportation security grew into a multibillion dollar industry. A member of the 9/11 Commission, author R. William Johnstone was on the front lines of this exponential growth. His coverage of the directives, laws, and policies developed to combat the ongoing terrorist threat is thorough and well organized. Numerous graphs, charts, tables, and references give the reader copious information.

The book discusses the need for specific laws and policies, according to transportation mode. It explains the policy-making process and discusses 10 executive orders issued from 2001 to 2012.�

Maritime, land, and air transportation are covered individually�with discussions of both passengers and cargo. The chapter on land transportation lightly touches all genres of movement on the ground, and this is the only chapter to mention K-9 security, a measure that saw 1000 percent growth over just two years.

Aviation security, the mode that gobbled up more than 60 percent of federal funding, is discussed in depth. I was surprised to not see any discussion on the security measures implemented at Israel�s Ben Gurion Airport, purported to be the most secure airport in the world.

The section on maritime security delves deep into cargo ships and the training of crew members. Supply chain security is discussed, and the U.S. Coast Guard is identified as the lead agency under the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Passenger security within the cruise industry is given the short end of the stick, and the Cruise Vessel Security and Safety Act of 2010 is not mentioned.

This well-written book reflects in-depth research and planning. It is not a nuts-and-bolts directive on transportation security, but a text that will help readers understand the policies behind measures intended to make travel safe.

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Reviewer: Henri R. (Hank) Nolin, CPP, CFR (Certified First Responder) is a retired U.S. Army master sergeant with 27 years combined service as a military policeman, instructor and physical security inspector. In retirement he owned and sold a security guard agency and a K-9 training and deployment company. As a certified maritime facility security officer, Nolin supplied uniformed and K-9 security for cruise lines and cargo lines, and instructed crew members on port security measures. He served on the ASIS Supply Chain and Transportation Security Council and now serves on the Military Liaison Council.

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