Think Airport Security's Improved?
May 6, 2003, 8:14 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: EWR, USA, AA 1MM Gold, United Premier Gold, Marriott Gold, Hilton Diamond, Emerald Club Executive
Posts: 1,476
Think Airport Security's Improved?
Courtesy of ABC News in NY. Click on the link for the full report with the video report. A true shame.
http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/news/wab...tsecurity.html
Exclusive: Think Airport Security's Improved? This Will Make You Watch Your Belongings Closely!
By Eyewitness News' Cheryl Fiandaca
(New York-WABC, May 6, 2003) — This Eyewitness News exclusive report will make you think twice the next time you pass through an airport security check. Eyewitness News has learned that federally trained screeners are allegedly stealing from passengers, and many of them have criminal records. Cheryl Fiandaca uncovered the story and has more for us.
The whole idea was that they would be better trained, better paid and their backgrounds more thoroughly checked. But it turns out many of the newly hired airport screeners got on the job without a complete background check. Some have turned out to have criminal records, and even been arrested for committing crimes while on the job.
They were hired to improve security in the wake of September 11th, but some may have done exactly the opposite.
Saba Mulazam, Daughter of Airline Passenger: "When she got there the money was missing, only $2,000 was there the other money was missing."
Robina Kausar doesn't speak much English, but her daughter does and both of them know when they've been taken. Last march Kausar filed a police report with the Port Authority accusing a federal Transportation Security Administration screener at Kennedy airport of stealing $6,000 dollars from her when she was on her way to Pakistan. Gus Denese is the president of the Port Authority police union. This story doesn't surprise him,
Gus Danese, PAPD Union President: "You're not in sight of where your wallet is, or pocketbook or bags. If they're good.. they'll do you , they'll do you in a heartbeat."
Here's how the police say the scam often works. While you're going through security and distracted, you're separated from your property and that's when you're vunerable.
Danese: "There's a lot of money to be made with this act."
And apparently plenty of them are making it. So far, law enforcement sources say there have been several arrests of TSA screeners for grand larceny and more than 300 complaints at Kennedy airport alone accusing the new agents of various crimes involving property. Over the past several months the federal employees have been accused of stealing cash, jewelry and computers from passengers at all three local airports. And since the Port Authority started investigating the backgrounds of the new screeners, sources say more than 50 of those already hired and working at JFK Airport have turned out to have criminal records. And that's not all...........
click link for rest of story.
http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/news/wab...tsecurity.html
Exclusive: Think Airport Security's Improved? This Will Make You Watch Your Belongings Closely!
By Eyewitness News' Cheryl Fiandaca
(New York-WABC, May 6, 2003) — This Eyewitness News exclusive report will make you think twice the next time you pass through an airport security check. Eyewitness News has learned that federally trained screeners are allegedly stealing from passengers, and many of them have criminal records. Cheryl Fiandaca uncovered the story and has more for us.
The whole idea was that they would be better trained, better paid and their backgrounds more thoroughly checked. But it turns out many of the newly hired airport screeners got on the job without a complete background check. Some have turned out to have criminal records, and even been arrested for committing crimes while on the job.
They were hired to improve security in the wake of September 11th, but some may have done exactly the opposite.
Saba Mulazam, Daughter of Airline Passenger: "When she got there the money was missing, only $2,000 was there the other money was missing."
Robina Kausar doesn't speak much English, but her daughter does and both of them know when they've been taken. Last march Kausar filed a police report with the Port Authority accusing a federal Transportation Security Administration screener at Kennedy airport of stealing $6,000 dollars from her when she was on her way to Pakistan. Gus Denese is the president of the Port Authority police union. This story doesn't surprise him,
Gus Danese, PAPD Union President: "You're not in sight of where your wallet is, or pocketbook or bags. If they're good.. they'll do you , they'll do you in a heartbeat."
Here's how the police say the scam often works. While you're going through security and distracted, you're separated from your property and that's when you're vunerable.
Danese: "There's a lot of money to be made with this act."
And apparently plenty of them are making it. So far, law enforcement sources say there have been several arrests of TSA screeners for grand larceny and more than 300 complaints at Kennedy airport alone accusing the new agents of various crimes involving property. Over the past several months the federal employees have been accused of stealing cash, jewelry and computers from passengers at all three local airports. And since the Port Authority started investigating the backgrounds of the new screeners, sources say more than 50 of those already hired and working at JFK Airport have turned out to have criminal records. And that's not all...........
click link for rest of story.
May 7, 2003, 2:59 am
#3
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Canada
Posts: 730
You have really, really sensationalized newscasts down there in the States. This seems like a rather over-done account of a routine story: low-level graft by public servants. And I'm very curious as to whether or not PAPD union president Gus Danese was even referring to screeners when talking about airport theft because his comments were devoid of original context and I can't imagine a public law enforcement figure like himself attacking another agency wholesale like that.
May 7, 2003, 5:27 am
#4
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Oviedo, Florida
Posts: 1,580
CATSA, you will find a lot of that here. Links to ANY story that makes the TSA look bad, and some that have nothing to do with the TSA that are touted to show how some polititian/judge feels about "security." While some of the posters here are genuine in their thoughts, others have become so obvious in their disdain that their diatribes have become quite humorous at times. I take most things I see on here with a grain of salt as we screeners see things from a side of the story that non-screeners don't. So while some jump for joy at any "news" that makes the TSA look bad, these "news" stories usually don't pan out to be anything of importance.
May 7, 2003, 5:47 am
#5
Suspended
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: AA EXP, 1 MM and CX RULES!!
Posts: 1,341
- Unlocked checked bags
- TSA people saying "please leave, I'll check the bag and relock it for you (happened to me)
- Bags sent unlocked and arrive at your destination unlocked
- Illegal leaflets put in bags saying "your bag has been checked, when in fact it has been illegally searched without a warrent
- TSA HS grads and criminals looking like LE when in fact they are not police officers
- TSA employees who DO NOT take oaths.
I think we are in a serious problem. The TSA doesn't look bad, their policies and people **ARE BAD**!! They are the same people who rob you on the trains and now are the same people who rob you at the airport!
I hope the article gets NATIONAL attention and the unlocked checked bag policy is completely abolished. Remember "unlocked checked bags" is a policy and can be refused by PAX. It is not a law. All TSA officers must be monitored by the owners of the property they are checking. They are not LE officers.
SHADO
- TSA people saying "please leave, I'll check the bag and relock it for you (happened to me)
- Bags sent unlocked and arrive at your destination unlocked
- Illegal leaflets put in bags saying "your bag has been checked, when in fact it has been illegally searched without a warrent
- TSA HS grads and criminals looking like LE when in fact they are not police officers
- TSA employees who DO NOT take oaths.
I think we are in a serious problem. The TSA doesn't look bad, their policies and people **ARE BAD**!! They are the same people who rob you on the trains and now are the same people who rob you at the airport!
I hope the article gets NATIONAL attention and the unlocked checked bag policy is completely abolished. Remember "unlocked checked bags" is a policy and can be refused by PAX. It is not a law. All TSA officers must be monitored by the owners of the property they are checking. They are not LE officers.
SHADO
May 7, 2003, 6:19 am
#7
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: BWI
Programs: AA PLT and that's that!
Posts: 8,349
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by The Unknown Screener:
CATSA...see what I mean. Sensationalism and hypocrisy at its best. Strictly opinion that is not based on anything but personal perceptions without regard for the truth.</font>
CATSA...see what I mean. Sensationalism and hypocrisy at its best. Strictly opinion that is not based on anything but personal perceptions without regard for the truth.</font>
------------------
"They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety
deserve neither liberty nor safety." -- Ben Franklin
May 7, 2003, 7:46 am
#9
Suspended
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: AA EXP, 1 MM and CX RULES!!
Posts: 1,341
It happens and just the fact there *IS* an unlocked checked bag policy in which the owner of the property isn't present, contradicts any argument you have. Even if "your" airport doesn't do that (in my case PVD), others **DO**, illegally, like BOS and JFK (as the article proves).
So, do you send them in locked or unlocked? And which proceedure ends up having them locked when the bags arrive at your destination.
There is no excuse to not have bags checked in the presence of their owners. Period. You have no contradictoray argument otherwise.
So to any Iraqi Information Minsters out there in disguise, do you allow the infidels to check your bag away from BGW (Baghdad) airport without you being present?
SHADO
[This message has been edited by SHADO (edited 05-07-2003).]
So, do you send them in locked or unlocked? And which proceedure ends up having them locked when the bags arrive at your destination.
There is no excuse to not have bags checked in the presence of their owners. Period. You have no contradictoray argument otherwise.
So to any Iraqi Information Minsters out there in disguise, do you allow the infidels to check your bag away from BGW (Baghdad) airport without you being present?
SHADO
[This message has been edited by SHADO (edited 05-07-2003).]
May 7, 2003, 8:28 am
#10
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Oviedo, Florida
Posts: 1,580
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by SHADO:
It happens and just the fact there *IS* an unlocked checked bag policy in which the owner of the property isn't present, contradicts any argument you have. Even if "your" airport doesn't do that (in my case PVD), others **DO**, illegally, like BOS and JFK (as the article proves).
So, do you send them in locked or unlocked? And which proceedure ends up having them locked when the bags arrive at your destination.
There is no excuse to not have bags checked in the presence of their owners. Period. You have no contradictoray argument otherwise.
So to any Iraqi Information Minsters out there in disguise, do you allow the infidels to check your bag away from BGW (Baghdad) airport without you being present?
SHADO
[This message has been edited by SHADO (edited 05-07-2003).]</font>
It happens and just the fact there *IS* an unlocked checked bag policy in which the owner of the property isn't present, contradicts any argument you have. Even if "your" airport doesn't do that (in my case PVD), others **DO**, illegally, like BOS and JFK (as the article proves).
So, do you send them in locked or unlocked? And which proceedure ends up having them locked when the bags arrive at your destination.
There is no excuse to not have bags checked in the presence of their owners. Period. You have no contradictoray argument otherwise.
So to any Iraqi Information Minsters out there in disguise, do you allow the infidels to check your bag away from BGW (Baghdad) airport without you being present?
SHADO
[This message has been edited by SHADO (edited 05-07-2003).]</font>
- Illegal leaflets put in bags saying "your bag has been checked, when in fact it has been illegally searched without a warrent
The "illegal" notice that we place in bags that have been opened is NOT illegal, nor is a warrant required as you give your implied consent when you present your bag for check-in.
- TSA HS grads and criminals looking like LE when in fact they are not police officers
First of all, we do NOT look like LE, we are not armed, nor do we have any authority over any passenger, we cannot detain nor touch a passenger except in self-defense or while performing a pat-down. Nor are we all just HS grads. I have a college degree and work with some highly educated individuals, one a retired chemistry professor with a PHD. Another a practicing attorney who takes cases around his schedule. Blanket statements such as this are often wrong and show a lack of subject knowledge.
- TSA employees who DO NOT take oaths
Wrong again, we are required to take the same oath I always took when reenlisting in the USAF. The SAME oath.
Your racist posts in the past about the trains and the passengers/workers therein have nothing to do with the TSA and are purely your opinion, as is your assumption about any screener. I think that your posts are clouded by your predjudices and should be taken as such. Of course, that is just my opinion. However, you certainly do not know enough about the TSA and the employees to make the assumptions that you do. That is of course a fact.
[This message has been edited by The Unknown Screener (edited 05-07-2003).]