Anyone want to speculate on the outcome if a passenger had picked up an odd item at the checkpoint, 'tested' it and pepper-sprayed 5 TSOs?

I suspect the last thing on his mind was to either toss it or turn it in to the lost and found.

How is it even possible to confuse a pepper spray can with a laser pointer ?!

"This TSO does not represent the tens of thousands of employees who can go a full day without injuring their co-workers..."

That's it. You people have held me back long enough. I'm going to Clown College!

Mike

I had tear gas training when I was stationed overseas in the 1980s. The thing they forget to tell you is that the stuff stays in your clothes until you get undressed and wash your clothes. We were tearing up on the drive back to the main base until we realized what was going on.

TSA


edit to add: A comment in the Daily Mail

"TSA.....When just ordinary Idiots won' t do.."

*snicker*

Since it was an "accident", the 6 probably got administrative leave with pay for the trip to the hospital. The taxpayer will pay for long-term effects of the spray.

WOnder what would have happened if they had confiscated (er, made the passenger "voluntarily surrender") the item and they tossed it in the big barrel where it might have gotten punctured.

I wonder if they reviewed the checkpoint tapes to see if the tapes backed up the official story about a group of TSOs trying to safely analyze and disarm an unknown item at the checkpoint.

Or perhaps the tape showed a TSO picking something up, laughing and clowning around with his buddies, the way you do when you think you might be disarming a dangerous item.

Hillarious thread. Thanks guys

ABC News said they trying to reach the hero who wrestled the rogue laser pointer to the ground before it transformed into pepper spray (well not saying it in those words) but he has not returned their calls.

Wonder why?

His facebook page says he Graduated from John Jay College of Criminal Justice so they must be proud of him too.

From his resume (which is the same as his linked in above I believe)

Additional Information
Ambitious security professional with more than seven years of experience providing exceptional security services to protect the general public. Six years spent in progressively-senior positions within the United States Department of Homeland Security. Proven track record in high-stress situations that require immediate and independent action. Along with a thorough knowledge of security policies, procedures and expertise in conveying technical language into simpler terms. Experienced with a variety of populations, including at-risk youth and trained to be attentive to suspicious behavior to prevent threats before they occur. Committed to moving forward, with a particular interest in progressing into management positions to help organizations manage and develop staff into sound performance.

Where he also details his responsibilities at the tsa (where he's apparently worked since 2006 in a couple of positions)

Behavior Detection Officer/Master Transportation Security Officer
U.S. Department of Homeland Security/TSA
August 2011 to Present
Perform passive observation and engages in voluntary encounters.
* Determine whether individuals may be involved in harmful activities against transportation systems.
* Assess multiple individuals simultaneously and use defined methods to detect unusual behavior.
* Works closely with team members to assess individuals.
* Documents identified behaviors as the basis for referrals.
* Ensures that superiors are aware of all ongoing activities.
* Prepare incident reports.
* Use established factors to determine whether elevated suspicion exists.
* Report security issues, and concerns to mitigate risks.
* Convey technical language into simpler terms for the traveling public.
* Provide expertise in interpretation of standard operating procedures.

Yet he somehow got pepper spray and a laser pointer confused. OK

Well it's good his resume is already out there, and he's probably been looking for a new position, hopefully he will need it soon.

Now, that's entertainment - LMAO on a pre Good Friday day for many travelers. More TSA training for him :rolleyes: but unlikely to change or yield a diffferent outcome, given his vast :o experiences and expertise as stated in his Linkedin - if you believe in his credentials. :td:

When in doubt, don't press it, don't squeeze it, don't pull it, don't move it, and don't aim in ... just look at it straight with your eyes (then, again, maybe not )

Dammit, just call the bomb squad and yell, evacuate the area, keep everyone away, out of an abundance of precaution - afterall, it might be a miniature IED and let the real LEO handle it :confused:

This is going to be an interesting Incident Report to be written up and read about ...

If this stunt was pulled by the traveler, s/he would be a lot of trouble and charges filed for a variety of ...

If he wrote that all himself, he's prime material for TSA press releases - how to ab(use) language to transform foolishness and triviality into professionalism and significance.

Not unlike Bob logging things like tweezers in a pocket as 'artfully concealed weapons'. (What is 'inartful' concealment? An outline picture of a pop-gun on a t-shirt?)

It's been suggested elsewhere that his job as a nursing home aide is his main job, with the TSA being his second job.

Direct Care Counselor
Birch Family Services - New York, NY

http://www.indeed.com/r/Christ-Yves-...a60b6ae342ef07

* Locate unknown devices abandoned in airport terminals
* Play with said unknown devices amongst a crowd of my fellow Masters
* Press buttons on said unknown devices while playing amongst a crowd of my fellow Masters
* BS my way into a commendation for recovering and disposing of a Prohibited Item which could have been used to take down an aircraft


By the way, what the hell is a Master TSO? I've heard of TSO, Lead TSO, Supervisory TSO, but never Master TSO. Is this an actual rank, or just something this guy drooled into his resume to make himself sound like some kind of supervisor?

NY Post: Oops, TSA guy goes spray-zy!
 

As usual, the New York Post has the best headline:

NY Post:
Oops, TSA guy goes spray-zy!
Last Updated: 3:15 AM, March 27, 2013
Posted: 1:07 AM, March 27, 2013

A short quote:

Master TSO = Guy who can't distinguish Mace from a Laser Pointer