Originally Posted by
Trollkiller
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.
Citizens arrest only applies to felonies that one directly witnesses and the arresting citizen is
individually fully liable in criminal and civil court -- not protected like a LEO. The interpretation by the courts is historically so strict that only the most foolhardy TSO would ever knowingly try to exercise a citizens arrest. Just my $0.02. TSOs have no special powers under the law to do absolutely anything whatsoever to arrest or detain a traveler. They can't touch you. Period. They need to call a LEO for anything and everything.
peace,
~Ben~