TSA Passenger Freeze Drill
May 4, 2013, 11:57 am
#1
Original Poster
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TSA Passenger Freeze Drill
TSA commands passengers to freeze in Miami International Airport.
"It's not an emergency," says the TSA officer. "It's an exercise."
Do we have any duty or obligation to "freeze" when not under arrest
or suspected of a crime?
Inquiring minds want to know.
Video link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UhAFJGIV9Yw
Notice the little girl running from the Blue Meanies once the drill is over.
"It's not an emergency," says the TSA officer. "It's an exercise."
Do we have any duty or obligation to "freeze" when not under arrest
or suspected of a crime?
Inquiring minds want to know.
Video link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UhAFJGIV9Yw
Notice the little girl running from the Blue Meanies once the drill is over.
Last edited by yandosan; May 4, 2013 at 4:00 pm
May 4, 2013, 12:34 pm
#2
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It's called a "Code Bravo" discussed in this thread and many others over the years.
Since TSA screeners are not LEO and have no powers of detention, all they can do is harass, try to impede, or sputter ineffectively to anybody who does not play their games. They can't touch you.
The phrases to say include: "Am I free to go?" and "Am I being detained?". Assuming you have time to discuss your urgent need to go to the bathroom, let's say, with the LEO they may summon.
Since TSA screeners are not LEO and have no powers of detention, all they can do is harass, try to impede, or sputter ineffectively to anybody who does not play their games. They can't touch you.
The phrases to say include: "Am I free to go?" and "Am I being detained?". Assuming you have time to discuss your urgent need to go to the bathroom, let's say, with the LEO they may summon.
May 4, 2013, 2:01 pm
#3
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They can't do shite. Just keep on moving. If they tell you to stop you just say no & tell them to go away. If they get in your face about it you can ask them if they're attempting to detain you. If they still try to coerce you & you've got the time to ruin their day then you can demand LEO attend because you'd like them arrested for unlawful detainer.
I've only ever seen it once and I walked in right at the end of it anyway but I just told them to "fvck off & take [their] pissy little games with [them]." I think the shock of it had more effect than the words, but they backed way off straight away.
I've only ever seen it once and I walked in right at the end of it anyway but I just told them to "fvck off & take [their] pissy little games with [them]." I think the shock of it had more effect than the words, but they backed way off straight away.
May 4, 2013, 2:43 pm
#4
Join Date: Apr 2013
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It's called a "Code Bravo" discussed in this thread and many others over the years.
Is there a place where I can find real legal advice on this issue?
May 4, 2013, 2:48 pm
#5
Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 3,657
Unfortunately, I doubt it. I suspect that TSA's "Code Bravo" exercises are part of their SOP, which TSA steadfastly refuses to release to the public. TSOs will probably tell you that you have to comply or be denied entry due to "failure to cooperate with the screening process". Civil libertarians will say that such an excuse is bull#@!$. But since nobody's tested this in court, nobody knows for certain.
May 4, 2013, 7:44 pm
#6
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If TSA ever finds a real threat, a freeze or Code Bravo seems to be counterproductive.
If TSA finds a bomb, they are telling people "We found a bomb, stand here next to it, do not run away."
If TSA finds a man with a gun, they are telling people "There is a shooter, stand still near him so he can shoot you easier, do not run away."
Sadly, Kip Hawley left 55,000 idiots behind.
We would be safer replacing TSA with Monty Python. At least they had to sense to say "Run Away." ^
If TSA finds a bomb, they are telling people "We found a bomb, stand here next to it, do not run away."
If TSA finds a man with a gun, they are telling people "There is a shooter, stand still near him so he can shoot you easier, do not run away."
Sadly, Kip Hawley left 55,000 idiots behind.
We would be safer replacing TSA with Monty Python. At least they had to sense to say "Run Away." ^
May 4, 2013, 9:06 pm
#7
Join Date: Dec 2010
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Then there's the internet--look up posts by PTravel, who apparently practices law at the federal level and has posted on this topic before, IIRC.
May 4, 2013, 9:25 pm
#8
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I fake, as in I never pressed send, called 9-1-1 to report an illegal detainment by an EMPLOYEE of the TSA once. That really set him off. Calling him an employee instead of OFFICER as he barked at me. This was in the NYC Subway system not an airport. He told me to get out of his sight. I stood there not moving, giving him a target instead of letting him move on to harass other people. Since he was barking at me a few NYPD/NYPA cops came walking over to see what was going on. I told them to ask him because as far as I knew I wasn't doing anything wrong.
The TSO was kind of mocked and bullied by the NYPD into adjusting his behavior towards people.
Ironically this was 24 hours before my first "stop n frisk" attempt by NYPD the following morning. That went as well as the TSO trying to stop me for ID in the subway station.
The TSO was kind of mocked and bullied by the NYPD into adjusting his behavior towards people.
Ironically this was 24 hours before my first "stop n frisk" attempt by NYPD the following morning. That went as well as the TSO trying to stop me for ID in the subway station.
May 5, 2013, 2:40 am
#9
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Unfortunately, if you're still actually in the checkpoint when this happens, you're screwed and you had better play along or they'll string you up for noncooperation with the actual screening process.
What I am more interested in - and where the bigger question lies - is what authority do they have to hassle people who aren't being screened and just happen to be walking past the checkpoint at that moment. The stories on FT of the verbal harassment and bully tactics - like surrounding a person to try to get them to make physical contact with a TSO (I like "employee"
) so it can be called "assault" and escalate the situation - are extremely troublesome.
What I am more interested in - and where the bigger question lies - is what authority do they have to hassle people who aren't being screened and just happen to be walking past the checkpoint at that moment. The stories on FT of the verbal harassment and bully tactics - like surrounding a person to try to get them to make physical contact with a TSO (I like "employee"
) so it can be called "assault" and escalate the situation - are extremely troublesome.
May 5, 2013, 4:43 am
#10
Join Date: Aug 2012
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http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/29/bu...road.html?_r=0
Understood, I said. But still, am I, a citizen, required to stop motionless when the T.S.A. officers yell freeze?
Actually, no. The agency has wide-ranging legal authority to carry out security-related responsibilities, Ms Lee said. But in these specific drills, she added, passengers are not required to freeze in place like statues. But if they are within the checkpoint security area, they may be required to remain there until the drill has ended, she said.
Actually, no. The agency has wide-ranging legal authority to carry out security-related responsibilities, Ms Lee said. But in these specific drills, she added, passengers are not required to freeze in place like statues. But if they are within the checkpoint security area, they may be required to remain there until the drill has ended, she said.
May 5, 2013, 5:35 am
#11
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No. They have to say "Simon says" or it doesn't count.
May 5, 2013, 8:39 am
#12
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Is there a place where I can find real legal advice on this issue?
May 5, 2013, 11:36 am
#13
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Every time I have experienced a TSO yell "BRAVO", my very audible response is "SIERRA" 