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-   -   Another story of abuse of a disabled passenger (https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/checkpoints-borders-policy-debate/1790141-another-story-abuse-disabled-passenger.html)

petaluma1 Sep 11, 2016 7:57 am

Another story of abuse of a disabled passenger
 
http://nationalpainreport.com/a-crps...4.html#respond


I was taken to a private room and told that if I refused to be touched then I would be escorted out of the airport and that I could “come back.” I don’t live in Indianapolis and I’m not wealthy and I couldn’t afford to just leave and come back whenever. So I told them to get it over with.

The moment the officer touched my leg I started screaming and crying. I tried to jump out of the chair. Ms. Benson and the officer were both startled and alarmed by my reaction and offered to just send me out of the airport
TSA's response: sign up for PreCheck and/or call TSA Cares before you travel.

Addendum:

From AskTSA:

We ensure our people are mission-ready, expertly trained, & deliberately developed.
https://twitter.com/AskTSA/status/774985348518739968

Bakpapier Sep 12, 2016 12:57 am

That's an absolutely terrible story.

However, had she even contacted the TSA beforehand stating that due to medical reasons, she was not able to undergo a pat-down on her leg? Did she have a doctors prescription stating that a pat-down would be impossible due to medical reasons?

I am unsure how such a situation would be handled in europe, let alone in the us where TSA is a lot stricter.

petaluma1 Sep 12, 2016 7:29 am

Interesting comments to the from someone who claims to be a former TSA screener:


Next if the anomaly is in the groin, the only way they can resolve that anomaly is a pat down that extends from your waist to your hips. This is policy. Yes agents take into consideration you may not want to do it, and let’s be honest, I never wanted to touch anyone’s groin area, passengers are filthy and disgusting, but they have a job. That job mean they have to be sure that you aren’t stuffing anothing in your pants or in between your legs and using the uncomfortable situation to bypass a pat down, and yes people do this all the time. I’ve found guns drugs money … cheeseburgers in the crotchessential of passengers. We don’t make this up.

As far as what occurred in the private screening again, they have a job and they can only accommodatever passenger so much without jeopardizing there job, which is to be certain that you have nothing in the groin area that is a threat. Sometimes that means multiple pat downs by a few agents so they can compare what they felt to the other agents and determine if it’s ok or not. Sometimes, yes, you will be asked to take your pants down if the object in question can not be identified by a pat down. In those i say wait until you pass security to stuff your pants with whatever.

Also this idea that TSA stripe search people is bs. Tsa doesn’t have the mandate to do so. The police can ask us to perform one while they are watching but the decision to just do so isn’t TSA.

cestmoi123 Sep 12, 2016 7:35 am

I hate to finding myself siding with the TSA, but not sure what really could have been done here. TSA can't be in a situation where someone just says "no, you can't pat me down, because it will cause pain in that area" will result in them saying "oh, ok, then, never mind, go on ahead."

chollie Sep 12, 2016 8:38 am

I wonder what law or regulation permits the police to direct TSA to perform a strip search without a warrant or an arrest.

petaluma1 Sep 12, 2016 8:52 am


Originally Posted by cestmoi123 (Post 27199981)
I hate to finding myself siding with the TSA, but not sure what really could have been done here. TSA can't be in a situation where someone just says "no, you can't pat me down, because it will cause pain in that area" will result in them saying "oh, ok, then, never mind, go on ahead."

They could have used an HHMD and done an explosives test. Or they could work really hard and come up with some kind of PreCheck system for the disabled, a system that is not subject to randomness. TSACares certainly doesn't help in this situation.

OR.....they could used Pre-style screening for ALL passengers.

FliesWay2Much Sep 12, 2016 10:44 am


Originally Posted by petaluma1 (Post 27199954)
Interesting comments to the from someone who claims to be a former TSA screener:


Next if the anomaly is in the groin, the only way they can resolve that anomaly is a pat down that extends from your waist to your hips. This is policy. Yes agents take into consideration you may not want to do it, and let’s be honest, I never wanted to touch anyone’s groin area, passengers are filthy and disgusting, but they have a job. That job mean they have to be sure that you aren’t stuffing anothing in your pants or in between your legs and using the uncomfortable situation to bypass a pat down, and yes people do this all the time. I’ve found guns drugs money … cheeseburgers in the crotchessential of passengers. We don’t make this up.

As far as what occurred in the private screening again, they have a job and they can only accommodatever passenger so much without jeopardizing there job, which is to be certain that you have nothing in the groin area that is a threat. Sometimes that means multiple pat downs by a few agents so they can compare what they felt to the other agents and determine if it’s ok or not. Sometimes, yes, you will be asked to take your pants down if the object in question can not be identified by a pat down. In those i say wait until you pass security to stuff your pants with whatever.

Also this idea that TSA stripe search people is bs. Tsa doesn’t have the mandate to do so. The police can ask us to perform one while they are watching but the decision to just do so isn’t TSA.

No dont get me wrong if you are being abused or whatnot that is a different story and i dont condone it, but serious put yourself in their position. I dealt with liars, arrogant, rude, annoying passengers all the time for 8 hrs straight no breaks while on the floor. We expect to people to try and take advantage of our sympathy but most aren’t gonna cave because this is their job. No matter how sh***y and pointless people feel it is.

First of all, the writer's command of the English language is remarkably similar to a former TS&S poster... :D

This individual has a very interesting opinion about the citizens who pay his salary and benefits.

...and, he's a brave soldier in the War on Drugs and the War on Cash.

...and, he admits to requiring passengers to remove their pants right before he claims that "stripe search people is bs."

ysolde Sep 12, 2016 10:55 am

As a passenger with a disability, I have often wondered about this. Before being subjected to the pat down, I am always asked whether I have any areas that are particularly sensitive. In my case, the answer is no. I have to wonder what happens when the answer is yes. Are TSOs trained to perform a more gentle pat down on such areas? What is the procedure? I have no idea.

petaluma1 Sep 12, 2016 11:02 am


Originally Posted by FliesWay2Much (Post 27200874)
First of all, the writer's command of the English language is remarkably similar to a former TS&S poster... :D

This individual has a very interesting opinion about the citizens who pay his salary and benefits.

...and, he's a brave soldier in the War on Drugs and the War on Cash.

...and, he admits to requiring passengers to remove their pants right before he claims that "stripe search people is bs."

Which is why I chose to quote those paragraphs.

BTW, what is a "crotchessential"?

chollie Sep 12, 2016 11:06 am

I hadn't heard of the requirement to submit yourself to multiple groin gropes by multiple TSOs. No wonder they don't want outside witnesses or cameras during their dirty little backroom sessions.

I wonder if SOP requires a full grope after the pax lowers his/her trousers, especially if the pax is going commando that day. I'm betting that the same SOP that says a TSO must stroke a pax's bare arm or head or face if the NoS indicates an anomaly there dictates that even a completely exposed pax groin still has to be rubbed three times each way.

I'm wondering if he and his co-workers eat the cheeseburgers they regularly find stuffed down pax trousers.

chollie Sep 12, 2016 11:08 am


Originally Posted by petaluma1 (Post 27200992)
BTW, what is a "crotchessential"?

Aka 'screener delight'.

Especially if several of them get to grope a pax's groin and then spend time comparing notes and discussing their 'feelings' while the pax stands there, trousers down, waiting.

petaluma1 Sep 12, 2016 11:08 am


Originally Posted by ysolde (Post 27200955)
As a passenger with a disability, I have often wondered about this. Before being subjected to the pat down, I am always asked whether I have any areas that are particularly sensitive. In my case, the answer is no. I have to wonder what happens when the answer is yes. Are TSOs trained to perform a more gentle pat down on such areas? What is the procedure? I have no idea.

Have never experienced it, but have heard that some screeners are harder on areas that the passenger claims are sensitive. From comments to the article:


Omg. I was almost ready to miss my flight. I did tell her why I was in the wheelchair. What CRPS/RSD is where it affects me etc etc. She then tried showing me how she would barely touch me on my left arm by rubbing the back of her had on my arm. I told her even the slightest touch will hurt, but I understood it had to be done. Well, she didn’t do that type of touch to my bad areas. She literally grabbed them with a firm grip. Not once, twice…but three times. I guess my screaming in pain was something she enjoyed. The tears coming down my face seemed to feed her power trip more.

FliesWay2Much Sep 12, 2016 11:11 am


Originally Posted by ysolde (Post 27200955)
Are TSOs trained to perform a more gentle pat down on such areas? What is the procedure? I have no idea.

There are multiple reports that the clerks make sure they rub that area harder.


Originally Posted by chollie (Post 27201014)
I hadn't heard of the requirement to submit yourself to multiple groin gropes by multiple TSOs. No wonder they don't want outside witnesses or cameras during their dirty little backroom sessions.

I wonder if SOP requires a full grope after the pax lowers his/her trousers, especially if the pax is going commando that day. I'm betting that the same SOP that says a TSO must stroke a pax's bare arm or head or face if the NoS indicates an anomaly there dictates that even a completely exposed pax groin still has to be rubbed three times each way.

I'm wondering if he and his co-workers eat the cheeseburgers they regularly find stuffed down pax trousers.

I'll admit to temporarily going commando through checkpoints wearing just sweat pants when doing 100% opt outs hoping for a hard pull on the pants legs. Never happened, although I did take off a hoodie one day when ordered without a shirt underneath. The clerks went ballistic.

chollie Sep 12, 2016 11:17 am


Originally Posted by ysolde (Post 27200955)
As a passenger with a disability, I have often wondered about this. Before being subjected to the pat down, I am always asked whether I have any areas that are particularly sensitive. In my case, the answer is no. I have to wonder what happens when the answer is yes. Are TSOs trained to perform a more gentle pat down on such areas? What is the procedure? I have no idea.

ysolde, TSOs have posted in this forum in the past pointing out that declaring a sensitive area on your body is a 'red flag' because it's exactly what a bad guy would do to try to divert attention from concealed contraband. Therefore, sensitive areas are supposed to get extra attention.

Many TSOs choose to act as though that ALL pax who declare sensitive areas are, at the very least, liars concealing something. They then compound this stupidity by believing that the only satisfactory way to clear a declared sensitive area is by rubbing or pressing very hard.

One TSO posted that if he does a groin grope and the pax doesn't flinch, he's immediately suspicious and doubles down until he does get a reaction. Of course, he never posted about finding a single piece of groin contraband after all his 'doubling down' efforts.

Boggie Dog Sep 12, 2016 11:40 am


Originally Posted by chollie (Post 27200230)
I wonder what law or regulation permits the police to direct TSA to perform a strip search without a warrant or an arrest.

There is no such law. TSA is not authorized to perform strip searches. I would think a person would need to be in custody for such an invasive search.


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