KRSW

Real security is NOT what the TSA is about! Seriously. Their mandate was to "reassure the flying public," and spend lots of money. It never was actual protection. It's pure security theater.

You won't find non-LEO security personnel in any other branch of government dress like LEOs with tin stars and attitudes like this. I've interacted with security personnel at various levels of government and NOT ONCE have I ever come across one barking orders and acting like a mall rent-a-cop EXCEPT at the TSA. I also never have had a security staffer try to steal my food because they were hungry, EXCEPT the TSA. Fortunately another screener saw this and immediately stepped in, even bring a supervisor over and having me fill out a formal complaint on the spot.

I just wish we'd all acknowledge the TSA is completely ineffective (only good 5% of the time per TSA's own tests) and needs to be replaced with something completely different. For reference, the pre-9/11 security cost us $820M/year. They're now at $7.8 BILLION. For what? I'd at least like some professionalism and respect for that type of money.

OUTraveling

Yeah... only about 10% of the police agencies in the US require a college education (AA to Bachelors). With TSA agents, their is no post secondary educational requirement and the training they receive is only about 100 hours. I do not think their will be any requirement for a post-secondary coursework in how to handle persons with autism spectrum disorders and the like.

Boggie Dog

It doesn't take a university degree to know how to treat people well. TSA fails in many things but how passengers are treated is far too often with less than respect. That suggests a failure of TSA management.