Originally Posted by
seoulmanjr
TSOs are glorified rent-a-cops and have no LEO powers whatsoever. They can't arrest you and I don't think they can detain you -- they can just call over a real cop for any of that. They pretty much have to call a real cop over for anything as far as I know, but I'm sure other FTers who know more/better can correct me.
I have a buddy who is a cop in Philly. He said that a TSO tried to show his "badge" when he got pulled over. This was before the recent tin badges came out. The TSO actually took the cloth TSA badge and put it in his wallet to 'flash'. It was the best laugh they had down at the precinct in a while.
peace,
~Ben~
PS> Obviously, this statement excludes FAMS and, perhaps, some bomb sniffin' dogs...
TSOs or ANY other citizen has the power of arrest and can detain if certain criteria are met. The criteria varies by state.
What a TSO can not do is arrest you under the authority of the TSA. So in that regards they are not equal to a cop because the do not have Governmental authority of arrest.
If any TSO attempts an arrest by stating they are a Federal Officer, they can be charged with impersonating a LEO especially now that the uniform and badges look like LEO uniforms.