US / airport security New Focus of Airport Safety: Your Smile Officers watch passengers' facial expressions in new security program By Heather McPherson, Newser User Posted Aug 17, 2007 2:12 PM CDT Copied Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff speaks during a news conference at Washington's Reagan National Airport, Thursday, Aug. 9, 2007, to announce new international flight screening procedures. (AP Photo/Dennis Cook) (Associated Press) Put on a brave face the next time you're at the airport; your expression might be under scrutiny. New security programs at more than a dozen airports are using undercover personnel who watch passengers' faces for indications of criminality. When trying to deceive others, a criminal still exhibits flashes of fear or scorn that officers are being trained to detect. So-called "behavior detection officers" work as a pair: one of them will approach a suspect while the other watches his or her body language and facial expressions. Homeland Security has high hopes for the program, which is based on a longstanding Israeli operation. (More airport security stories.) Report an error