Risk-Based Security and Enhanced Behavior Detection/Analysis
George Naccara, Federal Security Director at Logan International Airport, Transportation Security Administration, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, spoke on the topic of risk-based security and enhanced behavior detection and analysis on May 22, 2012.
About the Speaker
George Naccara serves as the Federal Security Director (FSD) at Logan International Airport in Boston, Massachusetts, working for the Transportation Security Administration under the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Selected for this position in May 2002, he also served as the North East Area Director with responsibilities for all airports from North Carolina to Canada for two years. Currently, he is responsible for all commercial airports in Massachusetts, which includes Logan and seven spoke airports located throughout the state in addition to security responsibilities associated with mass transit, commuter rail, maritime, and pipeline issues.
He is also serving as one of five pre-designated DHS Regional Coordination Team Leaders for H1N1, responsible for coordinating the federal response to a pandemic in the Northeast.
During the past few years, Naccara and his team in Boston have designed, developed, and deployed an innovative layer of security utilizing behavior detection methods in the Screening of Passengers by Observation Technique (SPOT). Further, the recent development of a multimodal strategic plan to bring federal, state, and local authorities to design prevention and response plans and actions has set a precedent for the agency and its partners in moving well beyond the focus on aviation.
Prior to these assignments, he served in the U.S. Coast Guard for over 33 years, retiring as a Rear Admiral from a position as the First Coast Guard District Commander in Boston, Massachusetts. Previous posts included Director of Information and Technology (and CIO), Y2K project officer for the U.S. Coast Guard and the U.S. and international maritime industry.
Much of his Coast Guard career focused on maritime safety, security, and environmental protection culminating in an assignment as Director of Field Activities with leadership and oversight of all U.S. maritime inspection, personnel, pollution prevention, and response functions in the world.
Admiral Naccara led many U.S. delegations to the International Maritime Organization (IMO – an arm of the United Nations) with involvement for nearly 15 years. In his capacity as Y2K project leader, he spoke before the full United Nations twice in New York, met frequently with G8 nations, and also spoke at IMO, leading an international effort to mitigate potential damage to all aspects of the maritime industry.
A Harvard University fellow, he also holds a master's degree from Central Michigan University and a bachelor's degree from the U.S. Coast Guard Academy. He received three Distinguished Service Medals, two Legion of Merit awards, and many other personal and unit awards.
*The views of this presenter do not necessarily reflect the views of the U.S. Department of Transportation.
Read the news story and view the video from this event.