MDtR-Chicago

Don't forget Rep. Jason Chaffetz, who is currently investigating the TSA in the US Congress.

eturowski

Oh, thanks! Do you know how I can get his direct (i.e. non-webform) email contact info? Or is Facebook/Twitter the best way to go?

FriendlySkies

disgusting

If I did this to somebody on the street, I would most likely be put in jail.. Our little FTer clerks can do this, and there are no repercussions

Cartoon Peril

Actually, you'd first be in the hospital for a long time, and then in jail.

oldjonesy

Bunch of pervs

bdschobel

FLL, Terminal 1, C concourse (Continental), March 28 at 5:00 am: Very few passengers, NOS in use, no way to avoid. I opted out. Was separated from my stuff for about half a minute, started protesting, TSA brought my stuff to me, then I was brought to an area behind the check-point and just in front of the sheriff's station for my pat-down. Two leads debated about who would do it; finally, one drew the short straw. He started reciting the spiel, and I told him it wasn't necessary because I know what he's going to do. He insisted, anyway. Made me remove my belt "because I'm going to have to search your waistband." Made me hold out my arms. After they were rubbed, I put them down. He demanded that I put them back up again. I told him that I can't hold my arms up indefinitely, and wasn't he done with them, anyway? At that point, I heard a voice behind me: "Do you want to fly today?"

Hello, it was the Broward County Deputy Sheriff, sticking his nose where it doesn't belong. These guys are even bigger clowns than the TSA, if you can believe that. So I turned around and answered, "Yes, I do. Why are you getting involved in this?" He said that I had to comply. I said that I was complying as best I could, but I simply can't hold my arms out forever. He asked me again if I want to fly, accused me of being disruptive, blah, blah, blah. As far as I know, he jumped into the fray of his own volition; I am not aware of any TSA staff requesting his assistance, and in fact, a three-striper afterward expressed amazement at the sheriff's behavior.

Eventually, TSA finished their job, which included at least four karate chops on either side of my testicles (two on each side), as well as "rubbing [my] groin" (his words). Amazing. But when I was free to go, I walked four feet to the sheriff's station and tried to have a conversation with the deputy, whose name I could now read: Michael Sweeney. He refused to speak with me and kept asking me if I wanted to fly (at least twice more). I answered yes every time, but asked, "Are you threatening me?" His response: "Threatening will be in two seconds if you don't head to your plane." I told him that I intend to file a complaint against him. He asked for me name "so that I can tell my boss who will be filing a complaint." I gave him a business card, then called the sheriff's office and spoke with a sergeant who promised to have a conversation with Mr. Sweeney "about his demeanor." I'm not expecting much to change.

What a creepy airport!

Bruce

cacetudo

After my little disagreement with the "say your name" policy now in effect at SFO (see here: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/16137907-post204.html), I saw that everyone was being waved into the body scanners by default. I was in the left-most line.

After getting everything onto the xray belt, and pointing out the bin with my medical liquids (2 1.5L unopened bottles of water and one opened half-full 1L bottle of carrot juice, see here: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/15871718-post14.html) I made a move towards the WTMD but was immediately directed towards the body scanner. I told the TSO that I wasn't going into that thing. He asked me to wait a second, and then sent me through the WTMD.

After not alarming the WTMD, the TSO on the other side of the WTMD directed me into the roped-off holding pen. I told him I couldn't see my stuff on the belt, and he again told me to wait in the pen. I moved back towards the entrance of the pen so I had a wider angle. When he saw me do this, he also moved closer to the entrance as if to block me in there, and then he turned his back. This was clearly an attempt to use physical intimidation, and the back-turning thing is a classic body language power move. Unfortunately for him, I don't pay any attention to that nonsense, and so I used my foot to move the post holding one of the ropes (the same ones they use in the security lines) out from the xray machine a foot or so, until I could see my stuff and I was practically standing in the main part of the passage again, still inside the pen ropes.

The designated groper appeared ~30 seconds later and announced himself. The TSO who thought he was holding me in the pen turned around in order to let me go, and was obviously surprised at my outmaneuvering him. He looked like he wanted to say something but didn't. The groper TSO took out a binder and asked why I wasn't going into the body scanner. I repeated that I wasn't going in there. He said I had to give a reason. Again I repeated that I wasn't going in there. After one more time around, he said (of his own accord) "radiation" and filled that into the binder.

I was led off to the back of the c/p after the groping TSO collected my things from the belt. I mentioned to him again that one of the bins had medical liquids. He explained the groping procedure, and asked if I had any questions or sore areas. I advised him that I wasn't wearing underwear under my tracksuit bottoms. We got started, and the patdown was fairly thorough, all the way to the edge of my t-shirt and all the way down my legs in the front and the back, including the tops of my feet, which were in athletic socks. He used the back of his hands on the front of my groin, going near but not touching the genitals. When he went up my legs it was the same thing, near but not touching them. After that was complete, as he was testing the swab from his gloves, I said I had a question. He said, sure, go ahead.

I asked him, "so, are you happy in your work?"

He seemed a bit floored by that one, but replied that there were no jobs out there and that the economy sucked. He also told me that he had been laid off from a 14-year management job at a technology company. I almost felt sorry for him. Almost.

After that little exchange, he pulled out the medical liquids. He focused on the half-full bottle of carrot juice first. He handed it to me and asked me to open it. I did, taking a sip. He pulled out some kind of test strip and moved it towards the top of the bottle. I pulled it away, asking if the strip was sterile. He told me it was just to test the vapors, and to calm down. I told him I was calm, but let him hold the strip over the bottle for a second or two. The strip was tested but was clean.

He then picked up one of the two water bottles and started to open it. I told him that I didn't want it unsealed. He immediately put it back down and called for a supervisor. She (a 2-striper) came over and conferred with him, then picked up the two bottles, looking at me questioningly. I decided to be helpful and said "medical liquids." She nodded and went away with the bottles for a minute or so. The groper TSO stayed to watch me, but didn't say anything or search any of my other stuff, even my carry-on bag (which had its zippers locked together). The female 2-striper came back with my water and said it was OK. At that point I was released.

Observations from this experience:
- The TSOs either have been trained or have learned to use physical intimidation as a pax management tool. I've seen it repeatedly at several airports, and I'm sure it works on most people.
- The reaction to the medical liquids was totally different to the previous (first) time I had tried this. See the link above for that narrative.
- The "are you happy in your work" question really seemed to throw the groper TSO off balance. I will be using it again.
- I found it odd that my bag wasn't searched after I declared the medical liquids. Either the TSOs on the prior occasion were lying, and searched my bags in retaliation, or the groper TSO forgot this time, or he had had enough of me and just wanted me out of there.

nachtnebel

great post. thanks for opting out and for the details.
wow. are these screening clerks or jailhouse deputies? weird.

bocastephen

Wow, you dodged a major bullet. Broward Sheriff are the nastiest police thugs in the entire country - extremely violent and always on a hair trigger. It doesn't matter if you're a 20 yr old punk in the poor part of town or a wealthy 70 yr old driving a Lexus - they've beaten the crap out of both and everyone in between. They are on par with many of the state police forces you'd encounter in the third world who terrorize those they are suppose to be protecting.

No matter how many times they get sued, their behavior will never change. You're lucky Sweeney didn't have you face down on the ground with his boot on the back of your head - this is their general way of dealing with anyone who doesn't bow and say "yes sir." As far as the sargeant having a chat with Sweeney, it will most likely be over a beer with a laugh. Years ago I went into a BSO station with a friend who was abused to file a complaint and they not only laughed it off, but threatened me right in the station if we followed through with the complaint.

Last year while my parents were picking me up at FLL, my dad parked the car at the arrivals level for a few moments to run in and use the restroom leaving my mother in the car - she could not see at night due to cataracts. In no time, a BSO thug was screaming at her like a drill sergeant and made her get in the drivers seat and move the car. Since she couldn't really see, she missed the lane and ended up on US1 north with my dad and I in hot pursuit behind her in a cab. I was not amused.

At FLL last Friday they appeared to be using the radiation box for primary - I saw one lane that appeared to still use the WTMD and when I went to change lanes, the doofus screener gave me a hard time and told me to pick another lane. When I got to the machine, I told the screener I was opting out - then she said "I wasn't going to pick you, but since you're opting out, we'll pat you down anyway".

It's about all I can do to keep myself from kicking these **** in the teeth every time I fly from this airport.

bceaglejoe

I had my first opt-out experience today at Logan Terminal E (c/p leading to the Southwest gates).

There was only one line open, and it was going right to the backscatter. They were sending random people through the WTMD instead, and the two folks in front of me got sent through the nude-o-scope, so I figured maybe they'd send me through the WTMD.

The TSO asked me to proceed to the machine, and I said, "I opt out. I'm requesting a pat-down." He just said, "OK" and then "male opt-out" into his radio. No fuss, no big scene, no trying to convince me that the machine was safe (which I don't believe it is).

The TSO who did the pat-down was very professional and reasonable. He went through the whole spiel asking me if I had any sensitive / painful areas, if I'd want it in private, etc. He told me exactly what he was doing at every point during the process (ex. "back of the hand around the zipperline" and such). There was no groping or excessive time spent in one area. The whole process only took about four minutes from my opt-out to getting my stuff back from the conveyor belt. I was also able to see all my property the entire time, which was good.

Really, other than the pat-down itself, no one gave me any trouble about my decision to opt-out. I think they're resigned to the fact that not everyone will accept what they have to say about the so-called "safety" of the backscatter.

I do question why they needed to do the pat-down so close to the machine (about six feet away). I'd like to think that there wouldn't be too much exposure where I was (not in the line of sight of the x-rays). At least it did let me see my stuff on the belt.

All in all, not a nightmare by any means, but I still question the need for all of the theatrics. I didn't see anyone else opt-out, either...

Skyehaven

I'd really hoped that I'd be able to SDOO by choosing smaller airports to fly in and out of on my trip. My flight out of SFB was easy as pie. They haven't installed either variety of NOS yet and, while the TSA is still there, they appeared to be on their best behavior -- perhaps due to the fact that SFB was one of the first to step up and request a private screening company instead of the TSA.

FWA, on the other hand, has a MMW and seemed to be using it as primary. The TSA employee who directed me through the scanner seemed pretty shocked that I'd opted out, but handled it quietly, having me pass through the WTMD where a female assist was already waiting for me. I was directed to a squishy mat where I could easily see the end of the conveyor belt and my belongings.

She seemed embarassed and tongue tied as she did her duty as lightly as she possibly could have done and still have it called a pat down. It was more a brush of the outside of my clothing than a frisking. She did move my hair -- which I'd had to take down as the TSA at the conveyor belt had asked me to remove my plastic hairstick -- but explained that she just wanted to prevent an accidental hair pull. The patdown (I can't rightly call it a grope) was over quickly and I was on my way.

When I got home, however, I found that they'd also inspected my checked bag. I assume the two 8 lb bottles of ketchup caused a bit of consternation at the x-ray machine. There's nothing like Indiana tomato products. I highly recommend picking some up if you're ever in the area. Red Gold is simply the best.

El Cochinito

I specifically asked the 1-striper doing my grope at DEN yesterday since when did the MMW become primary when there are working WTMDs? He told me that it has been "that way for a while".

Popperian

April 2, Night Time, LAX, Entrance to Gate 34.

- Opted out.
- TSA Agents all did the sneering and the yelling "Make Opt Out" crap.
- One of them comes up with his tongue hanging out of his mouth and flapping (I swear to god) and says "I thought it was for her" about the lady behind me.
- I looked straight at him and told him "that was not appropriate", he knew I opted out, I did it right in front of him and he his tongue was hanging out in a sexual way.
- He sort of took this gangster pose and started coming over to me like we were on a street or something (where the hell do they get these people?)
- He started like arguing.
- At that point I figured it was going to escalate and that they would swap him out so I tried to start looking at his badge to file a complaint. I think he saw me doing this and said in this kind of sleazy cynical whiny voice (I swear ...!) "I'm sorrrrrrrry", kind of like Golem in the Lord of the Rings.
- They escorted me around, no metal detector or anything else.
- I told the guy "you aren't going to touch my dick are you" and he just started spewing his canned crap and told me to put my hands in the air.
-He groped my penis and testicles ... without consent or probable cause and in an unambiguous direct violation of my Constitutionally guaranteed 4th Amendment rights as a U.S. citizen.

It's the first time in my life I've had to deal with such a direct abuse of my personal rights ... I'm sort of shell-shocked by it. The thought purist in me probably could deal with this stuff better if they go back and dissolve the 4th amendment, but the fact it's on the books and they are flagrantly violating it infuriates me to no end.

As to why I opted out? I have a particle physics background and exposing the ENTIRE HUMAN BODY to soft-tissue tuned x-rays is utter insanity in my view, irregardless of the dosage, it only takes a single x-ray particle to start mutagenesis and doing it to your whole body is just nuts.

The ONLY time that should be done is in direct counterweight to medical issues for the individual person.

Those scanners are going to kill/hurt/injure more people than terrorists ever will with the number of people they are forcing through them. I would stake my professional reputation on that.

In particular children (who are going to get the equivalent of a CT-Scan full body, in their heart/etc., and from the few images released we can see 1-inch+ absorption in exposed skin.

These x-rays are -NOT- the same thing as the cosmic radiation we are exposed to in flight, the overwhelming majority of which goes right through you without colliding with anything. The radiation in those scanners directly collides with soft tissues which is exactly what you don't want if you are trying to avoid cancer risks.

This situation just makes me ill.

The U.S. Government ... every day that goes by ... is just a bigger and bigger failure.

If you are a TSA employee reading this ... let me say this as politely as I can ... go .... yourself. Until you are making women pull tampons out and searching anuses, none of this matters. You are doing nothing of value but inflicting misery and suffering on 100s of millions of people with exactly -ZERO- security improvement.

stifle

That is quite despicable. Did you call an LEO to report the sexual assault?

Popperian

Filed complaints with LAPD, TSA, ACLU.

I expect exactly nothing to come of it.

If it was my home airport I suspect I would've dialed 911 as I would be able to attend the court trials (without doing MORE flying).

It's really like this is a communist country. It's insane.