Practical Travel Safety Issues - Fake FAM not detained by real FAMs?

I feel so much safer:

He flashed his Fisher Island badge to employees at the ticket counter, announcing he was an air marshal. Employees stopped the plane and allowed him to board.

But real air marshals inspected his badge and booted him from the plane. Why they did not detain him was unclear but the plane went on its way.

http://www.miamiherald.com/news/southflorida/story/922872.html

Fisher Price Police Department is more like it.

Fisher Price Police Department is more like it.you got that right and i'm just wondering how many times poor harry henry "rimm" has been called harry reems in his life time. ;) <ducking and slithering off to the penalty box>.


wait a minute,< coming out of the box for a second>......i just gave his lawyers their defense....he was traumatized as a child....<and now back to the box>

Without going into too much detail, but there should be at least 4 people fired by my count.

Not that I know this to be a fact from experience, but people checking credentials have no idea what they are looking at. :cool:

Granted, as an alleged Chief of Police, they may not have required him to have an authorization letter. But, the biggest clue should have been when he claimed to be a FAM and didn't have the proper credentials.

I feel so much safer:



http://www.miamiherald.com/news/southflorida/story/922872.html

The FAMs were probably told by their operations to stay with the mission and let someone else arrest him. :)

The FAMs were probably told by their operations to stay with the mission and let someone else arrest him. :)

Since when is anyone in the USFG concerned with staying with the mission?

Without going into too much detail, but there should be at least 4 people fired by my count.

Not that I know this to be a fact from experience, but people checking credentials have no idea what they are looking at. :cool:

Granted, as an alleged Chief of Police, they may not have required him to have an authorization letter. But, the biggest clue should have been when he claimed to be a FAM and didn't have the proper credentials.

all non-federal law enforcement officers that are flying for the day are known about in advance. in addition to their credentials and other required documents, they have to give a code that has to match their own on a pre-printed list. federal law enforcement officers, (like the fbi or fam's), have other prerequisites, but i won't go into that.

that being said, this is probably a passenger that got through security just like everyone else. running late for his flight, he pulled out his fake e-bay badge out of his wallet to impress the gate agents.

what he probably didn't know, was that telling the agents he was a fam implied that he was armed... and that everybody that's armed on a flight has to meet with everybody else that's armed on the flight.

the biggest failure i see is that the real fams should have delayed the flight long enough to pass the imposter over to local airport police. impersonating a law enforcement officer is illegal by any count, and there's no excuse for either of them for not telling anybody.

When arrested, he was carrying nearly $14,000 in cash and had plans to travel to Los Angeles, Hawaii and Dubai.

And even though TSA had nothing to do with this, I bet they turn this into a TSA blog story saying "See, people who carry lots of cash are Bad Guys." :rolleyes:

The FAMs were probably told by their operations to stay with the mission and let someone else arrest him. :)

The FAMs were probably more interested in getting home and told him to f-off. As long as their flight wasn't going to drop out of the sky...

Nobody was asked to deal with the guy until he cause a ruckus in the lounge.

The FAMs were probably more interested in getting home and told him to f-off. As long as their flight wasn't going to drop out of the sky...

Nobody was asked to deal with the guy until he cause a ruckus in the lounge.

If they had arrested him, that flight would not have been covered. Their job is to fly on that plane. They could have easily taken his information, passed it on to their ops who would have notified the local police. I guess we'll just have to wait for the facts to come out.

If they had arrested him, that flight would not have been covered. Their job is to fly on that plane. They could have easily taken his information, passed it on to their ops who would have notified the local police. I guess we'll just have to wait for the facts to come out.

Or, they could have delayed the flight until LEOs came to claim the guy. The flight was already delayed.

It's not like there's a lack of LEOs in big airports.

Without going into too much detail, but there should be at least 4 people fired by my count.

Not that I know this to be a fact from experience, but people checking credentials have no idea what they are looking at. :cool:

Granted, as an alleged Chief of Police, they may not have required him to have an authorization letter. But, the biggest clue should have been when he claimed to be a FAM and didn't have the proper credentials.

You can go into plenty of detail. Firstly, Fisher Island is a private island development in Miami's Biscayne Bay, not a city, town or community - their "police" are nothing more than private security hired to guard the development with as much arrest power and authority as my condo's landscaper.

If this happened anywhere other than MIA, an airline employee that was half awake would have thrown the ID back at this moron and called the police - but at MIA, it's 5 employees per brain, hence the result we have here. Apparently, the FAMs were Miami locals given their response to this - disclosing their identities on board, and not summoning MD police right then and there.

Nicely done all around, especially by the chief moron himself who only had to leave the airport to avoid arrest, but decided to cause a scene inside the club over his caper being uncovered.

People down here never fail to amaze me. Must be mold on the brain caused by excess humidity. I've often wondered if Ponce de Leon had a bad lisp - when he called everyone to Florida to find the Fountain of Youth, he was actually saying the Fountain of Doofs.

Or, they could have delayed the flight until LEOs came to claim the guy. The flight was already delayed.

It's not like there's a lack of LEOs in big airports.

FAMs, as a rule, aren't going to delay a flight. In fact, unless there are witnesses on the plane they have to compel to give a statement or people on the plane they need to arrest, they can't keep a plane on the ground. In order for any LE to hold a private business like a plane on the ground there has to be a prevailing need. There was no need here - the subject was off the plane. So the FAMs either stick with the mission or abandon the plane to deal with wackadoo.

FAMs, as a rule, aren't going to delay a flight. In fact, unless there are witnesses on the plane they have to compel to give a statement or people on the plane they need to arrest, they can't keep a plane on the ground. In order for any LE to hold a private business like a plane on the ground there has to be a prevailing need. There was no need here - the subject was off the plane. So the FAMs either stick with the mission or abandon the plane to deal with wackadoo.

Or one goes and one stays. Or, neither goes. After all, their cover is blown. They're standing at the door with said wackadoo, throwing him off, having been called back to the gate. Everyone knows they're an authority. They're protecting nothing but a timely ride home.

Oh... and said wackadoo was left in a clean area... FAMs have shot people dead for being a wackadoo leaving a plane in a clean area.

You can go into plenty of detail.

I may be wrong. There might be only 1 moron.

On Wednesday night, Rimkufski was rushing to Miami International Airport to catch American Airlines Flight 299, bound for Los Angeles. But the gate had already closed and the plane was departing.

He flashed his Fisher Island badge to employees at the ticket counter, announcing he was an air marshal. Employees stopped the plane and allowed him to board.

Once again, I think the media has screwed up a story through inaccurate or misleading facts.

Ticket counter = non sterile area
Boarding gate = sterile area

So where was he when he claimed to be a FAM?

Or one goes and one stays. Or, neither goes. After all, their cover is blown. They're standing at the door with said wackadoo, throwing him off, having been called back to the gate. Everyone knows they're an authority. They're protecting nothing but a timely ride home.

Where are you getting your details? The plane was at the gate. Who says they were both standing at the door interviewing the subject? How do you know they are LAX based?

Oh... and said wackadoo was left in a clean area... FAMs have shot people dead for being a wackadoo leaving a plane in a clean area.

This horse has been beat enough on this forum.

So where was he when he claimed to be a FAM?

The article says:
Employees stopped the plane and allowed him to board. But real air marshals inspected his badge and booted him from the plane.

It looks like claiming to be a FAM was so much fun at the ticket counter he did it again while boarding, or the ticket counter person notified the GA and/or flight attendants that he was a FAM and they asked for see his badge. It must be the ultimate in DYKWIA. :p

Dont let the facts get in the way epecially for the Broward residents who having 'esacaped Miami' tend to remind us here every chance they get of theincreasing superior intellect believes they acquire as one moves further and further away from those "foriegn language speaking yahoos" in Miami. :rolleyes:

mike

Dont let the facts get in the way epecially for the Broward residents who having 'esacaped Miami' tend to remind us here every chance they get of theincreasing superior intellect believes they acquire as one moves further and further away from those "foriegn language speaking yahoos" in Miami.
I live two counties North of Miami/Dade and I "know" that I am smarter than those inferior soles down there. :D

Dan

Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry8830/4.2.2 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/105)

[QUOTE=We Will Never Forget]
... impersonating a law enforcement officer is illegal by any count, and there's no excuse for either of them for not telling anybody.

There's about 50,000 people at America's airports impersonating law enforcement officers every day, so I'm not surprised he was lost in the shuffle.

If some of you had taken a moment to read the article in question, including the OP you would have read this

The ruse landed him in jail, Miami-Dade police said, when he was confronted -- by real air marshals on the plane.

Rimkufski, 49, was later charged with falsely impersonating a law enforcement officer.

He was arrested and charged.

If some of you had taken a moment to read the article in question, including the OP you would have read this

He was arrested and charged.

You conveniently leave out the part where he was allowed to wander back to the Admiral's Club on his own after his encounter with the real FAMs and was only arrested after making a pest of himself there. I read the article. Apparently you only read bits of it.

Then, Rimkufski went to the Admiral's Club bar and restaurant and began loudly complaining about not being allowed on the flight.

Miami-Dade airport police came and arrested him.

You conveniently leave out the part where he was allowed to wander back to the Admiral's Club on his own after his encounter with the real FAMs and was only arrested after making a pest of himself there. I read the article. Apparently you only read bits of it.

I saw that and could care less, he was arrested and charged that's all that counts. If that had not happened it would have been a problem.

I may be wrong. There might be only 1 moron.

On Wednesday night, Rimkufski was rushing to Miami International Airport to catch American Airlines Flight 299, bound for Los Angeles. But the gate had already closed and the plane was departing.

He flashed his Fisher Island badge to employees at the ticket counter, announcing he was an air marshal. Employees stopped the plane and allowed him to board.

Once again, I think the media has screwed up a story through inaccurate or misleading facts.

Ticket counter = non sterile area
Boarding gate = sterile area

So where was he when he claimed to be a FAM?

I'm willing to bet he did it at the gate, not at the counter. In fact, if I had to call on my extensive experience analyzing the stupid behavior of travelers, here is a recipe for how it went down:

1) take one South Florida moron
2) add in 20 minutes too long in the Admirals Club
3) a toss of a little too much booze
4) sprinkle some 'I have a badge for something'
5) fold in yet another idiotic American Airlines employee who pees on themselves in deference to a FAM or TSA
6) mix in a couple FAMs who didn't think things through properly
7) crack another shot of the main ingredient - the South Florida moron - going for round two in the Admirals Club

Voila - you've cooked up this event.

Based on more experience than I care to talk about:) I would also bet this happened at the gate not the counter. I would also have to question the experience & training of the AA employees involved.

And ^^ for the Fams well done imo.

I saw that and could care less, he was arrested and charged that's all that counts. If that had not happened it would have been a problem.

Had he had brains enough to simply leave, or even just keep his mouth filled with pretzels until the next flight, he would not have been arrested.

So, security now relies on the bad guys being boorish in the lounges?

Dont let the facts get in the way epecially for the Broward residents who having 'esacaped Miami' tend to remind us here every chance they get of theincreasing superior intellect believes they acquire as one moves further and further away from those "foriegn language speaking yahoos" in Miami. :rolleyes:

mike

When God messed up his supply chain process and ended up with more bodies than brains, he came up with a creative solution to deal with the problem.

He created a long pee-pee shaped spit of land sticking out of the corner of his chosen nation and stuck the brainless people in the lower right corner of it.

When God turned his back for a moment, Satan gave those people drivers licenses.

Boarding gate = sterile area

Never mind the unscreened TSAers, crew members with liquids and unscreened airport employees. But other than that, it's all "sterile." :rolleyes:

But let's not get facts in the way of a glib post.

So, security now relies on the bad guys being boorish in the lounges?

What ever works. Some how I don't think the police showed up because he was shooting his mouth off at a bar, if that were the case there would be a lot more people getting arrested.

6) mix in a couple FAMs who didn't think things through properly

Errr....you a expert on FAM policies and procedures.....?

Errr....you a expert on FAM policies and procedures.....?

I'm an expert on common sense and good judgment...none of which was exercised by any participant in this story.

Why....are you an expert on FAM policies and procedures?

When God messed up his supply chain process and ended up with more bodies than brains, he came up with a creative solution to deal with the problem.

He created a long pee-pee shaped spit of land sticking out of the corner of his chosen nation and stuck the brainless people in the lower right corner of it.

When God turned his back for a moment, Satan gave those people drivers licenses.

Back in the late 60's there was an ad in an Atlanta paper "Bring your picks and shovels" (called the armadillo conspiracy) to dig a trench along the Georgia-Florida border, and watch Florida drift out to sea. Your sentiment has been shared for decades...:p

Or one goes and one stays. Or, neither goes. After all, their cover is blown. They're standing at the door with said wackadoo, throwing him off, having been called back to the gate. Everyone knows they're an authority. They're protecting nothing but a timely ride home.
If they were even going home.

I don't know how it went down that they were called off the plane. Maybe it was done with only one being called off with some kind of bag issue or something similar. They weren't necessarily blown. In any case, it's not their call to take the flight or not. That's done on other levels.

Oh... and said wackadoo was left in a clean area... FAMs have shot people dead for being a wackadoo leaving a plane in a clean area.
Only wackadoos threatening to kill people.

I'm an expert on common sense and good judgment...none of which was exercised by any participant in this story.

Why....are you an expert on FAM policies and procedures?

Again, whether or not the FAMs took the flight was not their call. That's done above their level, usually.

Again, whether or not the FAMs took the flight was not their call. That's done above their level, usually.

I'm not talking about taking the flight, I'm talking about turning the moron over to the police instead of just saying 'oh, he's not a FAM' and letting him go.

We're all ready here to spill blood when a TSA screener claims to be law enforcement - if Joe Stupid tries it, he should be punished too.

I'm an expert on common sense and good judgment...none of which was exercised by any participant in this story.

Why....are you an expert on FAM policies and procedures?

Let's just say that there is more to the story than what was written.....and some of the story was left out because the journalist in question didn't get all the facts straight....

A. FAMS kicked suspect off flight after figuring out he wasn't the real deal.....Airline called for Airport LEOs...

B. FAMS opted to continue with the flight because they wanted to be on the flight.....and HQ agreed with them....so off they went....

C. Before LEOs could get there....suspect wandered down the concourse and into the AA lounge.....got a cocktail and was being an azz .......2nd call to Airport LEOs made.....Airport LEOs arrived at the AA Lounge...ID's Suspect....and carted him off.....

I'm not talking about taking the flight, I'm talking about turning the moron over to the police instead of just saying 'oh, he's not a FAM' and letting him go.

We're all ready here to spill blood when a TSA screener claims to be law enforcement - if Joe Stupid tries it, he should be punished too.

I agree, but the FAMs can't make the police show up whenever they want them to. They have to wait for them, and the plane is about to take off if I remember the article correctly. If it's between waiting for them and taking the flight they've been ordered to take, what's the right move in your opinion?

Remember this started because ftard didn't want to miss his flight. There wasn't a lot of time.

Why didn't anyone involved take into consideration that the guy might not have been screened?

He should have never been able to roam freely.

If one idiot believed him, what's to say others didn't?