Frame metallodetectory designed
to ensure the safety and screening
of people passing into the territory
of the organization owning (leasing)
data detectors.
Based on the analysis of articles and
interviews, we can distinguish two
main groups of facts concerning
equipment and people, as well as some
general characteristics of the current
situation.
The Moscow Metro consists of about
300 stations, each of the station’s
lobbies is equipped with metal
detectors, some conclusions can be
drawn from sources.
Moscow, St. Petersburg and Nizhny
Novgorod metros are equipped with
SmartScan C18 frame metal detectors,
according to the characteristics
given on the official website (and the
statements of Dmitry Basov, owner
of Modern High Technologies,) this
model has software that suppresses
electromagnetic interference that
distorts the results of the detector.
The program allows you to control
the level of sensitivity to the amount
of metal and visualizes the zones
(18) of the intended location.
However, it does not allow to identify
the object (gun, knife, keys, telephone,
etc.). According to the technical
characteristics of the frame, it’s parts
should have a distance of 1 meter
between them in order to operate
correctly.
However, observing and assessing
the reliability of
the
above
characteristics point to a number of
facts (some characteristics are also
key in a security scenario).
In many cases (at shallow stations)
the frames react to trains passing
under them. In addition, in most
cases the frames are installed with
distances of less than 1 meter between
them, so they can potentially distort
each other’s work. Situations where
frames are banal are not uncommon.
The frames have, in addition,
to the visual, sound identification of
metal detection, however, (at least
during peak hours) the sound is
muted, since with an intense flow
of people it does not carry useful
information.
Since the established frame is not
capable of recognizing objects, with
a dense stream they are not able
to identify a person with a firearm.
Nevertheless, including due to their
reactions to metal clusters, every
day security officers find 150-
200 dangerous objects (traumatic,
hunting weapons, etc., not necessarily
carried with a destructive purpose).
However, given the fact that in
2015, inspectors checked almost
17 millions of people and 9 million
pieces of luggage, and only 2.4 billion
people were transported last year,
the figures are not comforting: based
on these data, approximately 64,000
dangerous items were found during
the year, while approximately 1/140
passengers were inspected.
An even more serious problem
is that the framework does not
respond to explosives. Taking
into account the fact that it is not
illegal to carry a bucket of hardware
(which is the main striking filler of
bombs), the components of a bomb
RESEARCH
STAGE
can be carried separately, and then
assembled.
To detect explosives, there are gas
analyzers at the stations, the reliability
of which, however, is in doubt due
to the strong air flow. The stations
are also equipped with special
equipment for suppressing radio
lines controlling explosive devices
(their reliable usefulness remains
undetermined). In addition, there are
x-ray scanners for baggage inspection
(in fact they are the most effective
means, as they are able to detect even
plastic weapons, moreover, there
are similar installations (including
domestic production) that allow
inspecting a person, even without
removing the outer clothing, it takes
a few seconds).
The location of the framework clearly
indicates that their purpose is
also to narrow the aisles and slow
down the flow of people to facilitate
the processing of information coming
from the framework, but this is not
a solution, since it creates congestion
in front of them and nothing can
prevent the terrorist from blowing
up a bomb in the resulting mass
of people (in the period 2012-2015,
39 people died from terrorist attacks
in transport, 23 while passing through
the frame).
An integral part of the security system
are the operators of the frame and
other equipment — security staff.
There are also a number of significant
problems.
Private investigation in 2015 showed
that the checks were formal,
the security staff sought to fulfill
context studying.
the analysis of official open sources
the plan, log entries of inspected
people (30 per hour). Many workers
do not look at the frame, and
sometimes they are not competent
in administrative legislation.
However, the main problem (partly
the cause of the above) is a shortage
of people. As well as the need
to systematize their work.
For optimized work and greater
employee efficiency, more people are
needed. To ensure a sufficient number
of employees (5 instead of 1-2), it is
necessary to allocate about 2 billion
more, otherwise the frame is in fact
useless, due to the lack of operators.
In addition, systematization of
the workflow is necessary, alternating
changes in the activities of employees,
in order to avoid dispersing attention,
as well as creating systematic
dynamics in the security system,
it is necessary to create more
comfortable working conditions
(instead conditions for rest, although
this goes without saying).
It also does not facilitate the work
of employees surrounding space.
At many stations, in conditions of
intense flows of people, employees
are simply not able to squeeze
through the flow of passengers and
stop a potentially suspicious person
to inspect.
The choice is subjective, in addition
to this, employees are guided by one
clear instruction: to pay attention
to people with large bags (and
behaving suspiciously).
All employees took refresher courses,
attended the course “Culture of
passenger service” and “Profiling”
(a set of psychological methods
and
techniques
for assessing
and predicting human behavior).
However, without constant practice
and deep immersion in this method,
it is impossible to achieve real results,
since there is no universal approach
for analyzing people’s behavior.
Despite the conventionality of
the practical benefits of passing
the “Profiling” course by security
officers, the movement in this
direction is extremely promising.
Thanks to this technique, it is possible
to identify a person with destructive
intentions. A person is much better
than a machine can determine
whether a person is dangerous or
not.
Since terrorist organizations, using
recruiters, are looking for a certain
psychological stock, taking into
account modern technologies, it is
possible to compile a risk register,
which could significantly increase
security.
Since the bomb can be carried
through in parts, inspections without
an identity document are useless,
only personal identification, provided
the registry exists in the access of
the staff, could give an adequate
assessment of the situation.
In addition, if we talk, for example,
of railway trains (in fact, the metro
too), to commit a terrorist act it is not
necessary to blow up the train, there
are tens and hundreds of kilometers
of railway tracks.
For the reasons listed above,
specialists and passengers are
skeptical about the framework
(several successful attacks play
a role), according to experts, not one
prevented attack is known (thanks to
the existing system).
There is another function of the frame
and security officials, it is to create
psychological pressure on potential
criminals. Creating the appearance
of protection, there are cases when
a man in the form of a frightened
single terrorist, and he abandoned
his plan, but not a fanatic or
a professional. Preventive (deterring)
measures (due to the presence of
frame metal detectors and employees
in the form) taken publicly are often
useless.
As proof of the inconsistency of
the existing security system, the fact
that secret security checks of
the FSB conducted in 2016 showed
a devastating result says that the FSB
officers were able to carry shahid belts
into the subway, and only 4 times
were detained.
Also in the Petersburg terrorist attack
of 2017 there was a bomb filled with
30-40 balls for bearings, this is not
so much to fix them if the shell was
not metal, but from a different source
the bomb shell had a fire extinguisher
having a massive metal shell,
based on This terrorist attack was
a direct consequence of the failure
of the existing system.
Thus, by and large, a terrorist act
can be prevented only at the level of
intentions, thanks to the intelligence
work of the special services, but not
in the subway. The framework in this
case is useless.
Despite this, over the past few years,
the framework has risen in price by
4 times, now the average cost is about
250,000 rub. Over the past few years,
tens of billions from the budget have
been spent on their purchase and
maintenance.
An interesting fact is that, in contrast
to the 39 people who died in Russia
from terrorist attacks in transport
in 2012–2012, in the same period
about 33,000 people died in traffic
accidents on oncoming lanes, not
equipped with separators, the cost of
installing them on federal highways
approximately equal to the amount
spent on the frame.
“Modern High-Tech Technologies”,
whose frameworks are located in the
Moscow, St. Petersburg and Nizhny
Novgorod metros, have repeatedly
won the tender, in situations
where contests were frustrated
due to the lack of access by other
participants from the FSB.