Originally Posted by
ScatterX
Officer apples and officer oranges. There are different contexts and appropriate uses for the term officer. It's illogical to focus on the term itself, when the real issue is about impersonating LEOs.
Officers (meaning rank) in the US armed forces do not impersonate law enforcement officers (meaning LEOs) in airports or anywhere else.
TSA clerks do not use the term officer, LEO-style uniforms, and the LEO-style badges to denote rank or any other appropriate reason. They are doing it to impersonate LEOs.
If clerks dressed in professional business attire (no police uniform and badge) and cut the cop-like behaviors and attitude, I would not vehemently object to them using the term officer. I would still think it was inaccurate, but I wouldn't have such serious heartburn with it. The problem is them deliberately pretending to be LEOs. Calling themselves officer is only one piece of the puzzle.
I think what is most offensive are those TSA screeners who refer themselves as "federal officers", a clear attempt to imply status they have neither earned or deserve. The word officer should be eliminated for TSA screeners as well as any form of a badge.