TheRoadie

All well said. How can this be so blindingly obvious to so many folks, and not to the wearers?

95% of the staff can be professional, courteous, and follow the SOP, but if 5% of them strut, bluster, and puff themselves up behind the costume, the entire pool is polluted.

halls120

^^ Very well put.

coachrowsey

I hope none of you folks ever walk in on a robbery in progress wearing that TSA uniform, Guess who's the first to go. Before I retired I mentioned that to on of the TSO's here scared the crap out of him

MikeMpls

.....

FliesWay2Much

Deleted -- duplicate

FliesWay2Much

Exactly! It's all about being a symbol. When I was in AFROTC in the early 70s, we were advised to not wear our uniforms on campus. (We were too dumb to realize that our hair length was a dead giveaway, in or out of uniform!) Virtually all service members returning under their own power from Viet Nam changed into civilian clothes in the first men's room they found in the airport. When I was stationed in Europe in the mid-1980s, we were advised to not wear our uniforms off base unless we were driving directly to & from home. Very few people probably hated me personally. The hatred was aimed at who I was and what I represented.

Like it or not, West, anyone wearing a TSA fake cop uniform turns into a symbol of what a lot of people (may of them armed with their own unique boundaries) dislike, or even hate, about the United States of America these days.

Caradoc

That's rhetorical, yes?

gsoltso

Ok, I will concede that there is imagery out there and people may wrongly assume that TSOs are armed based on it. I think that most of the Honor Guard stuff is locally generated and controlled, so it may not have been as much HQ as it is local management pushing this to the public (although HQ uses the imagery in their own publications).

I have always agreed with you that all TSOs should be professional and courteous in all circumstances. The addition of the uniform was only to give a professional appearance on top of what the TSOs are supposed to do (and I am certain that adding the technical title had a little to do with establishing a regard for the person wearing, but even more to do with being able to charge people under federal laws in the case of attacks/assaults and such). TSOs have a limited level of authority, anyone that reads the news and publications of the organization should understand that, however, the one authority that overrides anything else for the TSOs is the control of access to the sterile area. That is the one stickler responsibility/authority that has not changed or shifted during the course of TSA, other responsibilities and authorities have come and gone, but that one constant remains. It does not mean we are LEOs, or we have detention capability (anyone that reads the news and publications of/about TSA knows that), or that we are anything more than a checkpoint screening security group. I understand the POV you are presenting, I will allow that some of what you say is true - it doesn't make any difference in the front line staff (with the off exception for some knucklehead that misunderstands/abuses their position), and for the largest part the public. The vast majority of people that interact with us simply regard us as the folks in the area they are screened in. I have postulated before that the majority of interactions with TSOs are neutral, with 5-10% being positive or negative interactions (I have no scientific evidence to support that, it like all of my commentary here is simply based on my interactions and experiences working for TSA) - and many of the negative actions are when there is a conversation about a prohibited item or an access problem. There may have been some ulterior motive behind creating and deploying this uniform, but to the TSO at the end of the line, it makes no difference - it is just a chance to look more professional in the course of performing the job.

And really? A felony for changing the title and uniform? Do you suggest that every group of people that wear anything even remotely similar to what police officers wear should be charged with a felony?

gsoltso

I hope that I never walk into a robbery of any kind, ever - but in the instance you mention, it would be no more dangerous for me than it would be for any other person in a uniform of similar design.

This may be the case at some locations, but most of my commentary is written from my POV, I have experienced no problems or challenges due to wearing the uniform. I have stopped and gotten gas, picked up a loaf of bread, and even run small errands on the way home from work, and have had nothing but positive interactions (of course, I am a fairly big guy, so that may have a little bit to do with it), nor have I heard of coworkers that have had problems or felt threatened because of their uniform. Some people may dislike the uniform, but I have not experienced that (some unexpected and completely off color remarks from people in a jocular manner, but nothing angry or even challenging).

Here is where we get to the crux of it, I don't think there is an appreciable increase in threat to me simply because I am a TSO or wearing this particular uniform (past the statistical probablities that go with wearing any uniform in this type of format). There will always be one off loonbags and even some small collectives of people following their own specific set of mores, that are willing to do damage to the target of their hatred (whatever that target may be). We can do some planning, we can take certain steps to prevent their ability to easily target our members, but we can not remove them from the equation of life. They are there, just like there are loonbags that will threaten the President, Senators, Congressmen, Redheads, Brunettes, Blue Eyes, Clowns and Santa Claus - they are simply a fact of life, and sad incidents like the one involving Hernandez are going to continue... Hopefully not often, as things like this do damage to our community as a whole, not just to the people and families immediately impacted by it.

FredAnderssen

You do understand that no one on here is going to buy that explanation for a second, don't you?

The workers at Best Buy also have blue uniforms and look professional, all without the air of being a police force.

petaluma1

It is well documented that the move to the LEO-style uniform came about because screeners and their bosses felt that the public was not giving them any respect. IOW, like everything else with the TSA, the uniform change was another way to intimidate passengers into submission.

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2...tor-kip-hawley

Lipstick on a pig.

FredAnderssen

Let me try that quote again with my own bolding added. The addition of the uniform was NOT to just give a professional appearance, it was to instill a sense of superiority, authority, and intimidation in the traveling public.

Let me compare blue uniforms:



Now those uniforms certainly have a professional appearance. When I shop Best Buy, I know immediately who the salespeople are and who has the authority to make deals, give me advice and sell me items.



These uniforms are also blue, like the Best Buy workers uniforms: professional and consistent. But that's where the similarity ends. Notice the badges, arm patches, shoulder stripes, and shoulder microphone? This uniform has more than just a flavor of the police or the military, it fairly screams that we should respect the uniform and those wearing it. This is far beyond having a "professional appearance."

Caradoc

I've been wondering for quite some time why they didn't bother adding the "Sam Browne" belt to the costume.

halls120

While it is sadly true that no one in TSA will be convicted of pretending to be an officer acting under the authority of the United States, that action is indeed a felony.

You must take everything literally.

ScatterX

Not to pile on, since I sincerely appreciate your minority voice in this forum, but...

Do you seriously believe this? If so, I am curious why you think so. Maybe you can sway me by answering the questions below. Maybe I can sway you. Maybe not.

Skip professional appearance. I believe everyone agrees with that.

The question is: What is the intent of establish greater AUTHORITY?

Seriously consider each word (establish, greater, and authority). Please address what AUTHORITY is being CREATED.

Same drill. What is meant by COMMAND respect?

These are not off the cuff or meaningless sound bites. They are well thought and promulgated explanations for the uniforms. Beyond professional appearance, what do you believe the other two parts mean?

Compare this justification: "...to achieve a professional, common look and improve respect."

Now look at the TSA and Best Buy pics. Do you still think this was done ONLY for professional appearance?