Interesting People mailing list archives
TSA mission creep now policy
From: David Farber <dave () farber net>
Date: Mon, 9 Nov 2009 15:49:53 -0500
Begin forwarded message: From: "David Lesher" <wb8foz () panix com> Date: November 9, 2009 12:05:32 PM EST To: dave () farber net (David Farber) Subject: TSA mission creep now policy Prof. F: Remember the blowup when TSA detained Ron Paul volunteer Steve Bierfeldt because he was caught carrying {gasp!} cash on board an aircraft? Much of the controversy was because TSA is *not* a credentialed law enforcement agency; and seeing as how it's rather hard to hijack an aircraft with dollar bills & quarters, such money is not in their mandate. Official TSA responses never really addressed that. Well, per Monday's WashPost, TSA has decided that more mission creep is to their advantage.<http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/11/08/AR2009110817898_pf.html >
At U.S. airports, TSA officers covertly monitor travelers' behaviorFORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. -- You might not see them, but they're studying you.
To identify potentially dangerous individuals, the Transportation Security Administration has stationed specially trainedbehavior-detection officers at 161 U.S. airports. The officers may be positioned anywhere, from the parking garage to the gate, trying to spot
passengers who show an unusual level of nervousness or stress.They do not focus on nationality, race, ethnicity or gender, said TSA
spokeswoman Sari Koshetz."We're not looking for a type of person, but at behaviors," she said.
Under the program, which started in Boston in 2003, a suspiciouspassenger might be given a secondary security screening or referred to
police; detection officers do not have arrest powers. Last year, officers nationwide required 98,805 passengers to undergoadditional screenings. Police questioned 9,854 of them and arrested 813.
The article goes on to cite multiple incidents of people arrested for various crimes but NOT ONE was mentioned that had anything to do with aircraft security.
I have to wonder how long before TSA is also detaining deadbeat dads and three-strikes
parking ticket offenders.... ------------------------------------------- Archives: https://www.listbox.com/member/archive/247/=now RSS Feed: https://www.listbox.com/member/archive/rss/247/ Powered by Listbox: http://www.listbox.com
Current thread:
- TSA mission creep now policy David Farber (Nov 09)
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- TSA mission creep now policy Dave Farber (Nov 09)
- Re: TSA mission creep now policy David Farber (Nov 10)
- Re: TSA mission creep now policy David Farber (Nov 10)
- Re: TSA mission creep now policy David Farber (Nov 10)
- TSA mission creep now policy David Farber (Nov 10)