TSA and Their Drills
 

I was working at DEN the other morning when 2 TSA members came right in and started searching for someone. I asked them who they were looking for? They gave me a vague response and went back to their search. They checked all of our spaces except our back room, where if someone wanted to hide would be an easy place to. Then suddenly walked out. About 20 minutes later, a different TSA member came in and started looking around. I told him 2 of his coworkers were just in here and if he told me who he was looking for, I could tell him if I had even seen her. He replied, "A women in jeans and a hoodie." Then he whispered under his breath "we are doing a drill." Ahh...well, that explains a lot. Then he left (still didn't check our back room). I guess TSA has full access to all parts of the airport, even for their drills. At least they didn't empty the entire concourse for their drill.

I wonder if that is legal. A search without warrant should be an issue.

3 years ago at SEA, I was trying to exit the airport when a TSA agent yelled at me (and everybody in the terminal) to freeze.

Thirty seconds later we were given the all-clear, whereupon everybody in my vicinity began asking their travel companions, "Whiskey Tango Foxtrot?"

In that instance I would ignore them. They have no power to detain.

Haven't experienced one of their code red freeze drills or whatever the heck they called them in a long time. Experienced many at LAX over a period of time.

Remember they used to yell "Bravo!"? 😀

I've done exactly that. At the UA terminal, air side, at LAX I was walking to club room. A TSO yelled "freeze," and I continued walking. He yelled, "You have to stop!" I said, "No, I don't, you're not law enforcement," and continued to the club room without incident.

In the sterile areas, all persons are subject to search of their person(s) or items at any time. The signage is clearly posted at the entrances to all checkpoints and sterile areas (even if accessed by a non-public entrance).

There are also several reasons that they may have been searching for someone - could have been a breach (or drill - as the one indicated), they could be searching for a parent of a lost child.

It seems like the first post was referring to leased private space.

Wouldn't lost parents/children be a responsibility for certified Law Enforcement?

If the TSA were serious about looking for someone, they would have come to our front desk and said, "hey, we have reports that a possible breach. Here is what they are were seen last and were wearing." We were extremely slow that morning and I could have easily said if the person had tried to gain access to our area. I have no qualms really about them looking for someone, just their demeanor and the way they went about it. I have said it before and I will say it again. They truly lack any personality and my coworkers all agree that their search of our area was totally useless (since they didn't go to our back room where a person could have easily hid). At least the 2nd guy said it was a drill so I could stop being concerned and he could nonchalently continue on his halfa$$ search.

Thanks for your input though gsotso. I always look forward to your input.

Telling a person to halt is not a search.

You are right that in a criminal matter, depending upon the circumstances of the search, there might be issues regarding the admissibility of the results of a search without a warrant.

But there are no such issues regarding the kind of search under discussion here. In addition, there are agreements between the airport operator and the TSA and there is the appropriate signage informing all persons of the condition of being subject to search.

Where on the thread did someone suggest differently?


Depending upon the regulations of the airport operator, searches may be made of anyone and anywhere on the airport property. Preferably, such searches are made by law enforcement but conditions may be such that LE is not available in a timely manner.

Typically LE would handle lost kids (young and old) but other agencies may also participate/conduct.

Thought the comment was in response to the thread topic and TSA telling people to freeze in place.

Without a warrant?

edit to add:

I question the authority of TSA to do any kind of screening, detention, or interrogation of any person who is not trying to gain access to the sterile portion of an airport.
If anyone wishes to post the Federal Code that allows TSA such actions I would appreciate it.

Whether they're law enforcement or not, you have to do what they tell you. Unless they fail to say "Simon Says."