TSA mission creep now policy

[Dave Farber <dave () farber net>]

Begin forwarded message:

> From: "David P. Reed" <dpreed () reed com>
> Date: November 9, 2009 6:11:53 PM EST
> To: dave () farber net
> Cc: ip <ip () v2 listbox com>
> Subject: Re: [IP] TSA mission creep now policy

> I continue to wonder if there is any scientific evidence that would  
> show that terrorists can be detected by signs of "stress".
>
> Of course, it could be worse, Iraqi checkpoints are manned by   
> trained "dowsers" and their professional security organizations have  
> sworn by devices that use such "dowsing" to detect bombs in cars  
> from a distance. http://tech.slashdot.org/story/09/11/04/2340204/Iraq-Swears-By-Dowsing-Rod-Bomb-Detector
>
> So I guess we can assume that the US "behavior specialists" are  
> credentialed based on something other than deeply held beliefs in  
> the powers of human observation and gut feelings.  And I'm sure they  
> would never be biased by mode of dress, facial hair, or skin  
> color.   After all, TV shows are based on the idea that there are  
> people who can be trained to "read minds" by studying bodily  
> gestures.  And TV Shows are always right, right?
>
> On 11/09/2009 03:49 PM, David Farber wrote:
> > 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' behavior
> >
> >
> >    FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. -- You might not see them, but they're  
> > studying you.
> >
> >    To identify potentially dangerous individuals, the Transportation
> >    Security Administration has stationed specially trained
> >    behavior-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 suspicious
> >    passenger 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  
> > undergo
> >    additional 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....
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
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