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TSA SPOT program: TSA agents observing behavior and collecting passenger data.

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TSA SPOT program: TSA agents observing behavior and collecting passenger data.

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Old Mar 20, 2013 | 10:00 am
  #256  
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Please file a complaint with "Team SFO", TSA, and your elected representatives. This harassment is unacceptable and "leadership" responsible for it should be caned and deported to North Korea/sent to prison for life.
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Old Mar 20, 2013 | 11:13 am
  #257  
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Originally Posted by sandiegofun
I was in a long line and asked about why they didn't open another screening line. A tight international connection was causing me trouble after the slow processing through security.

After about 35 hours of travel I was rather irritated at the slow process. I finally made it through MMW, and I was grabbed for an enhanced screening.

This enhanced screening took another 15-20 minutes, including slowly removing everything from carry-ons (nothing alarmed either through X-ray or MMW), and what was very clear is that they were delaying to cause me to miss the flight.

When I complained about the nature of this stupidity, the 'manager' along with two 3-stripers told me we were selected due to behavioral profiling.

I of course missed the flight, as they intended. The thing that surprised me was the claim back to SPOT. In any case, it was the worst show of the TSA I have ever encountered, especially the retaliatory nature of the entire interaction.
Bolding mine: Gotta love these "3 weeks of training wonder children"
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Old Mar 20, 2013 | 11:28 am
  #258  
 
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Originally Posted by sandiegofun
I was in a long line and asked about why they didn't open another screening line. A tight international connection was causing me trouble after the slow processing through security.

After about 35 hours of travel I was rather irritated at the slow process. I finally made it through MMW, and I was grabbed for an enhanced screening.

This enhanced screening took another 15-20 minutes, including slowly removing everything from carry-ons (nothing alarmed either through X-ray or MMW), and what was very clear is that they were delaying to cause me to miss the flight.

When I complained about the nature of this stupidity, the 'manager' along with two 3-stripers told me we were selected due to behavioral profiling.

I of course missed the flight, as they intended. The thing that surprised me was the claim back to SPOT. In any case, it was the worst show of the TSA I have ever encountered, especially the retaliatory nature of the entire interaction.
"behavioral profiling" = you complained and dared to call procedures stupid.
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Old Mar 20, 2013 | 4:18 pm
  #259  
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Originally Posted by petaluma1
"behavioral profiling" = you complained and dared to call procedures stupid.
This. You shall learn your lesson, komrade.
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Old Mar 20, 2013 | 4:30 pm
  #260  
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Originally Posted by petaluma1
"behavioral profiling" = you complained and dared to call procedures stupid.
Bingo. Those total losers all need to be fired, and I just couldn't believe the retaliatory nature of the whole interaction. The number of TSA people walking around doing nothing was incredible considering how long it was taking to get through.

In any case, they didn't play the name game, lied to me and told me that everyone except children had to go through MMW, and wouldn't open WTMD to clear up some space.

Spiff, I honestly don't want to expend any effort on this. Is it worth it? If they would get fired I would be up for it but I doubt that is a likely outcome.

Just to be consistently inconsistent, the ID drone in T3 played the name game with me this morning.... I told her to pound sand.
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Old Mar 20, 2013 | 4:58 pm
  #261  
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Originally Posted by sandiegofun
Bingo. Those total losers all need to be fired, and I just couldn't believe the retaliatory nature of the whole interaction. The number of TSA people walking around doing nothing was incredible considering how long it was taking to get through.

In any case, they didn't play the name game, lied to me and told me that everyone except children had to go through MMW, and wouldn't open WTMD to clear up some space.

Spiff, I honestly don't want to expend any effort on this. Is it worth it? If they would get fired I would be up for it but I doubt that is a likely outcome.
Yes it's worth it. TSA often cites a lack of complaints as to why they do the things they do. They'll often say "Only 3% of people complain ..." If the number were to rise, they can't use that excuse anymore.

Every time someone doesn't complain, TSA treats it as tacit acceptance of what they do, regardless of what the reality actually is.

The idiots that harassed you aren't likely to get fired. TSA, and its private counterparts, are just a jobs program. However, complaining and cc:'ing your Congresscritter will at least send the message that this is unacceptable, and not everyone is onboard with the crap they pull.

Just to be consistently inconsistent, the ID drone in T3 played the name game with me this morning.... I told her to pound sand.
^

How did you do it, and did they retalliate again?
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Old Mar 20, 2013 | 5:09 pm
  #262  
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Originally Posted by Superguy
How did you do it, and did they retalliate again?
I told her that if she doesn't know how to read at this stage in her life, it isn't my problem. She paused in shock and asked again, and I repeated myself and she waved me through. I have never given my name at SFO, and sometimes they call a 3 striper and then I get waved through.

Good point on the noise level and I will at least send a concise summary to them along with congress critter.
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Old Mar 21, 2013 | 6:56 am
  #263  
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Originally Posted by sandiegofun

Spiff, I honestly don't want to expend any effort on this. Is it worth it? If they would get fired I would be up for it but I doubt that is a likely outcome.
Problem is, they won't get fired. Likely promoted.

No, seriously, it is imperative that we all complain each time when retaliated against for having an opinion of our government's actions.
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Old Jun 4, 2013 | 7:43 pm
  #264  
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DHS IG: SPOT is useless

Wow, this isn't a surprise:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/05/us...ctive.html?hpw

The Transportation Security Administration has little evidence that an airport passenger screening program, which some employees believe is a magnet for racial profiling and has cost taxpayers nearly one billion dollars, screens passengers objectively, according to a report by the inspector general for the Homeland Security Department.
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Old Jun 4, 2013 | 8:39 pm
  #265  
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Originally Posted by amejr999
I found this gem particularly telling:

The officers said that such passengers were being profiled by the officers in response to demands from managers who believed that stopping and questioning them would turn up drugs, outstanding arrest warrants or.immigration.problems.
Doesn't sync too well with the words of the Davis decision :

no more intrusive or intensive than necessary, in light of current technology, to detect weapons or explosives, confined in good faith to that purpose, and passengers may avoid the search by electing not to fly.
Yeah. Confined in good faith. Right.
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Old Jun 4, 2013 | 8:39 pm
  #266  
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SPOT is useless

Water is wet.

Sky is blue.

Pope is Catholic.





(And Pistole says "I'm pretty sure water is dry. And I'm confident that the sky is green. And my staff assure me that the Pope is Hindu.")
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Old Jun 4, 2013 | 8:45 pm
  #267  
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"According to the report, the T.S.A. has not assessed the effectiveness of the program, which has 2,800 employees and does not have a comprehensive training program. The T.S.A. cannot “show that the program is cost-effective, or reasonably justify the program’s expansion,” the report said."

Who would have guessed? Oh, that's right - most of this forum.

"Mr. Thompson added that he would be offering an amendment to the Homeland Security appropriations bill this week that would “prevent any more taxpayer dollars from being spent on this failed and misguided effort.”

Is he referring to TSA in this sentence? If so, first round's on me if it passes. Sadly, I think he's just referring to TSA's SPOT idiocy. Let's hope that puppy is euthanized, at least.
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Old Jun 4, 2013 | 8:52 pm
  #268  
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I wonder if he can be taken aside and assured that TSA's SPOT program really is a resounding success, and they'd love to tell him (and the taxpayers) all about the evildoers they've caught, but that information is ...SSI.

I wonder what Congressman's pockets are lined by the contractor who provides the 'priced just for taxpayers' SPOT training...
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Old Jun 4, 2013 | 9:45 pm
  #269  
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<cue Three Blind Mice (aka The Three Stooges Theme )>

See SPOT run
See SPOT run
They haven't caught a ter'wrist
They haven't caught a ter'wrist
Oh, see SPOT run
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Old Jun 4, 2013 | 10:29 pm
  #270  
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SPOT is useless. ^

In another exciting news story the Sun will rise in the east...
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