Professor Coral Dando’s science-based ethical interviewing methodology is revolutionising international security protocols.
The method of ‘profiling’ potential suspects of terrorism or security breaches is infamous for unfairly targeting individuals based on race, gender or age – or for simply appearing nervous.
But would it surprise you to learn that it does not make any of us any safer?
Profiling of this kind has never been scientifically tested – instead, it can bias security staff to ‘look’ for certain people and behaviours at the exclusion of almost everything else.
Controlled Cognitive Engagement – a blueprint for ethical interviewing
These serious concerns around profiling’s fairness and effectiveness inspired Professor Coral Dando and Professor Thomas Ormerod, from Sussex University, to develop Controlled Cognitive Engagement (CCE).
Initially designed for airport security, this scientifically validated technique teaches security professionals to recognise verbal behaviour and accompanying demeanours, that could indicate deception.
By evaluating everyone even-handedly for these signs, CCE shifts the dial from profiling to proven signs of deception, as the key indicator of threat.
The US and UK Governments funded a large field trial of CCE, conducted across eight international airports, in collaboration with two major American airlines.
Over eight months, thousands of genuine and deceptive airline passengers attempting to board international flights, were screened using both traditional ‘suspicious signs’ profiling and CCE.
CCE helped security staff ‘catch’ record numbers of deceptive passengers – almost 24 times more than the conventional method.
Security agents trained in CCE detected 72% of deceptive passengers, compared with less than 5% using the standard suspicious signs method.
A-CCE – Controlled Cognitive Engagement in action
Further funding from the EU, UK and US government organisations enabled Professors Dando and Ormerod to develop the British Psychological Society accredited Applied Controlled Cognitive Engagement (A-CCE).
Designed for wider use, including by border agencies, covert air marshals, and narcotics agencies, A-CCE accounts for cross-cultural variations in demeanour and verbal behaviours, which could be misinterpreted as deception indicators.
In this way, A-CCE ensures a broader range of passengers are not unduly targeted by security services.
Travellers exposed to A-CCE generally approved of the approach.
They described the approach more pleasant and less aggressive (e.g. “polite, worthwhile”), but also more effective (“Far superior security to the US procedure where they ask you no questions about nothing”).
By contrast, those experiencing the traditional procedure found the experience far less enjoyable and more aggressive.
Working with national and international security agencies
Professor Dando’s training for several US, European and UK government and non-government security organisations has received universally positive feedback – many subsequently incorporating A-CCE into training protocols.
Following a US Homeland Security-funded session, 96.2% of participants were keen to attend a second more in-depth symposium, while one attendee called for a “CCE certification course”.
These science-based techniques give us more of the nuances and the details and in many cases more reliable information that can help us stop the next terror attack.
– The Director of the FBI on a 2017 event for which Professor Dando was a key-note speaker
Dando also worked with the High-Value Detainee Interrogation Group (HIG) – a three-agency entity comprising the FBI, CIA, and Department of Defence, established in 2009 in response to revelations around US torture tactics during the War on Terror.
Dando led training sessions across all three agencies between 2017 and 2019.
With respect to Europe, Dando worked with the Antiterrorist Brigade Air Marshals division of Romania’s national intelligence service in 2017.
A-CCE training procedure and materials are now included in the training manual distributed to all security-cleared personnel in Romania, and other EU countries with direct flights in and out of Romania.
Dando also led numerous A-CCE interview training sessions, for organisations including Emirates Airlines at Dubai International Airport (DXB), across 2018 and 2019.
Delivering classroom and on-the-job training, Dando changed the approach to security screening at the world’s busiest airport for international travel.
Through Professor Dando’s global engagements, the application of this new ethical security interviewing method has helped to make airports safer and kinder.
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Connect with Coral Dando
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