Can TSA officers carry guns on duty?
Oct 4, 2012, 8:23 pm
#16
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Programs: AA Gold AAdvantage Elite, Rapids Reward
Posts: 38,310
No! Absolutely not! They won't allowed it. They could get real big trouble from TSA. It's not permitted. Never carry a loaded gun past at TSA checkpoint.
Oct 4, 2012, 8:51 pm
#17
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: PHX
Programs: UA *Alliance
Posts: 5,585
Can you cite the law?
From what I can see, Arizona's general gun laws allow anyone to carry a gun almost anywhere they want. Federal law bans guns in the secure area of the airport, but not outside. Therefore, TSA staff would be permitted to carry guns outside the secure area, unless there is a law specifically saying otherwise. So I am wondering if anyone knows what this law is.
From what I can see, Arizona's general gun laws allow anyone to carry a gun almost anywhere they want. Federal law bans guns in the secure area of the airport, but not outside. Therefore, TSA staff would be permitted to carry guns outside the secure area, unless there is a law specifically saying otherwise. So I am wondering if anyone knows what this law is.
Oct 4, 2012, 8:55 pm
#18
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Chicago
Posts: 11,512
).Or a rule set by the TSA for their employees. My employer has a policy in place that says I can not bring a firearm into my workplace. I am obliged to obey that policy. My guess would be that TSA has a similar policy for anybody that is not sworn law enforcement personnel.
Oct 4, 2012, 9:01 pm
#19
Moderator: Manufactured Spending
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2011
Posts: 6,577
Or a rule set by the TSA for their employees. My employer has a policy in place that says I can not bring a firearm into my workplace. I am obliged to obey that policy. My guess would be that TSA has a similar policy for anybody that is not sworn law enforcement personnel.
Oct 4, 2012, 9:08 pm
#20
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: PHX
Programs: UA *Alliance
Posts: 5,585
I don't have proof, but TSOs are civilian employees, they're not sworn law enforcement. Allowing them to carry firearms even in areas that they were legally allowed to based on local or state laws would open up liability issues that I'm sure TSA doesn't want to deal with. I've worked for two police departments in AZ, both had pretty strict policies against civilian (non-sworn) employees bringing firearms onto department or city property. I just don't see the TSA having a looser policy for their screeners and allowing them to carry firearms at their place of employment.
Oct 5, 2012, 12:30 am
#22
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: CP-ASEL,AMEL,G-IA in Tucson, Arizona, United States
Posts: 1,124
Arizona Revised Statutes 13-3119: Misconduct involving weapons in a secured area of an airport.
13-3119. Misconduct involving weapons in a secured area of an airport; classification; definitions
A. A person commits misconduct involving weapons by intentionally carrying, possessing or exercising control over a deadly weapon in a secured area of an airport.
B. This section does not apply to:
1. A peace officer or a federally sworn officer while in the actual performance of the officer's duties.
2. A member of the military forces of the United States or of any state of the United States in the actual performance of the member's official duties.
3. An individual who is authorized by a federal agency in the actual performance of the individual's official duties.
4. General aviation areas not included in the security identification display area or sterile area as defined in the airport security program approved by the transportation security administration.
5. The lawful transportation of deadly weapons in accordance with state and federal law.
C. A violation of this section is a class 1 misdemeanor.
D. For the purposes of this section:
1. "Deadly weapon" has the same meaning prescribed in section 13-105.
2. "Secured area of an airport" means any area of an airport specified in an airport security program that is authorized and approved by the United States transportation security administration pursuant to 49 United States Code section 44903(h)(7)(F) and defined in 49 Code of Federal Regulations section 1540.5.
A. A person commits misconduct involving weapons by intentionally carrying, possessing or exercising control over a deadly weapon in a secured area of an airport.
B. This section does not apply to:
1. A peace officer or a federally sworn officer while in the actual performance of the officer's duties.
2. A member of the military forces of the United States or of any state of the United States in the actual performance of the member's official duties.
3. An individual who is authorized by a federal agency in the actual performance of the individual's official duties.
4. General aviation areas not included in the security identification display area or sterile area as defined in the airport security program approved by the transportation security administration.
5. The lawful transportation of deadly weapons in accordance with state and federal law.
C. A violation of this section is a class 1 misdemeanor.
D. For the purposes of this section:
1. "Deadly weapon" has the same meaning prescribed in section 13-105.
2. "Secured area of an airport" means any area of an airport specified in an airport security program that is authorized and approved by the United States transportation security administration pursuant to 49 United States Code section 44903(h)(7)(F) and defined in 49 Code of Federal Regulations section 1540.5.
Oct 5, 2012, 2:36 am
#24
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: HNL
Programs: UA/Hawaiian/Marriott
Posts: 840
Or a rule set by the TSA for their employees. My employer has a policy in place that says I can not bring a firearm into my workplace. I am obliged to obey that policy. My guess would be that TSA has a similar policy for anybody that is not sworn law enforcement personnel.
TSA/DHS will not allow TSO to carry due to it not being a LEO job....
Further, there are policies in place like all federal agencies (and lots of employers) stating they can't carry and they will be dealt with accordingly if they get caught.
Oct 5, 2012, 7:05 am
#25
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: DFW
Posts: 28,072
Oct 5, 2012, 8:39 am
#26
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Under the Cone of Silence
Programs: UA Gold; AA Dirt; HH Diamond; National Emerald; CONTROL SecretAgent Platinum; KAOS EvilFlyer Gold
Posts: 1,498
If I believed a screener may have suggested he was in possession of a firearm, wouldn't it be my responsibility (regardless of whatever possesion legalities existed) to IMMEDIATELY call for police and law enforcement out of an abundance of caution, after all, 'See Something, Say Something' , right?
I mean, if a screener thought a passenger was armed wouldn't TSA immediately set off all the alarm bells against such a threat?
Food for thought...
I mean, if a screener thought a passenger was armed wouldn't TSA immediately set off all the alarm bells against such a threat?
Food for thought...
Oct 5, 2012, 9:12 am
#27
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: BLI or CLT
Programs: The usual suspects
Posts: 1,899
I thought TSA employees did not have to be screened through security in order to get to work at the checkpoint. Other airport employees as well are reportedly not screened.
How would anyone know the employee was carrying?
How would anyone know the employee was carrying?
Oct 5, 2012, 10:03 am
#28
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Baltimore, MD USA
Programs: Southwest Rapid Rewards. Tha... that's about it.
Posts: 4,331
Some heeled screeners would not be able to resist the temptation to pull out their bang sticks and show them off to their screener friends.
Some would be packin' poorly, and the bulge would show.
A few would be carryin' clumsily, and the rod would fall out of its hiding place, perhaps in a bathroom stall, or on the floor of their breakroom.
Still others might actually jerk their piece intentionally, during an argument with a coworker, or on their way to or from work.
This is all theoretical, of course. In actual practice, you bring the gun to work unloaded and a co-worker sees it in your bag when you reach for your ID (see Alvin Crabtree).
Oct 5, 2012, 2:42 pm
#29
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Marriott or Hilton hot tub with a big drink <glub> Beverage: To-Go Bag™ DYKWIA: SSSS /rolleyes ☈ Date Night: Costco
Programs: Sea Shell Lounge Platinum, TSA Pre✓ Refusnik Diamond, PWP Gold, FT subset of the subset
Posts: 12,509
EDIT: Officer.com thread about TSI's:
No gun for them, I guess.
Good news; this guy wont get a chance to break any airplanes.
Bad news: this guy is wearing a blue shirt with a badge at the airport.
Last edited by essxjay; Oct 7, 2012 at 9:01 pm Reason: reference to deleted post
