Certified Transportation Security Administration Driver Investigation Procedures & Methods 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: When a TSA driver discovers a suspicious package during a pre-trip inspection, what is the FIRST action they should take?
- Open the package to identify its contents
- Notify the supervisor and avoid disturbing the package (Correct answer)
- Move the package to a secure area away from the vehicle
- Continue the trip and report upon arrival
Correct answer: Notify the supervisor and avoid disturbing the package
Drivers must immediately notify a supervisor and leave the suspicious package undisturbed to preserve evidence and ensure safety.
Question 2: Which documentation method is considered the 'gold standard' for recording an investigation scene observed by a TSA driver?
- Verbal report to dispatch
- Written log with timestamps and sketches (Correct answer)
- Memory recall at end of shift
- Text message to coworker
Correct answer: Written log with timestamps and sketches
Written logs with timestamps and scene sketches provide a verifiable, contemporaneous record that holds evidentiary value.
Question 3: A TSA driver witnesses a colleague bypassing a security checkpoint. Under investigation protocols, the driver should:
- Confront the colleague directly
- Ignore it as an internal matter
- Report the incident through proper channels immediately (Correct answer)
- Wait to see if it happens again before reporting
Correct answer: Report the incident through proper channels immediately
Security violations must be reported immediately through proper channels regardless of the identity of the violator.
Question 4: What does 'chain of custody' mean in the context of a TSA driver's investigation role?
- The hierarchy of supervisors to notify
- The documented transfer and control of evidence from collection to court (Correct answer)
- The sequence of security checkpoints on a route
- The order in which witnesses are interviewed
Correct answer: The documented transfer and control of evidence from collection to court
Chain of custody tracks every person who handled evidence, ensuring its integrity and admissibility.
Question 5: During a post-incident investigation, a TSA driver is asked to provide a statement. They should:
- Discuss the incident with coworkers first to align stories
- Provide an accurate, factual account without speculation (Correct answer)
- Decline until legal representation is present
- Only share what they believe is most relevant
Correct answer: Provide an accurate, factual account without speculation
Accurate, factual statements without speculation are essential for a credible and useful investigation record.
Question 6: Which of the following best describes 'surveillance detection' as practiced by TSA transportation drivers?
- Installing cameras on vehicles
- Monitoring social media for threats
- Recognizing when someone may be observing or tracking vehicle routes (Correct answer)
- Reviewing footage from fixed security cameras
Correct answer: Recognizing when someone may be observing or tracking vehicle routes
Surveillance detection involves identifying individuals who may be watching or mapping transportation patterns as a precursor to an attack.
Question 7: A TSA driver reports seeing an unknown individual photographing a secure facility entrance. Investigators will prioritize this report because it may indicate:
- Tourist activity
- Advance reconnaissance for a security threat (Correct answer)
- Media coverage of a public event
- A routine audit by management
Correct answer: Advance reconnaissance for a security threat
Photographing secure facility entrances is a common precursor behavior to planning a security breach or attack.
Certified Transportation Security Administration Driver Investigation Procedures & Methods 2
When a TSA driver discovers a suspicious package during a pre-trip inspection, what is the FIRST action they should take?