GUWonder

When will the surveillance video be released to the public so that the entirety of the engagement between the TSA and this passenger can be measured by people without a statist bias when it comes to frictional interactions between government employees and ordinary citizens at the screening checkpoints?

One way for bullies to get the target of the bullying into trouble with authorities is to try to provoke their targets by poking/shoving the target first and hoping for a physical counter-response that can then be exploited by the bully to pile onto the target of the bully/bullies. The entire footage from five minutes before the passenger�s arrival at the TSA TDC to the passenger�s arrest would speak volumes on its own.

Boggie Dog

I wouldn't be surprised if the checkpoint surveillance video has been conveniently misplaced by now.

GUWonder

Did the arrested woman try to file a police report against any TSA employee for her being subjected to assault and/or theft/non-consensual appropriation of property by TSA employee(s)?

Do any of the state �stand your ground rules� explicitly prohibit striking at civilian government employees?

Boggie Dog

Haven't read of any action taken by passenger.

As for as stand your ground I have no knowledge of Arizona's statues on that point. The only possible defensive claim that I see is a claim that the passenger was assaulted by the screener.

I would like to think that TSA has a video retention policy in place for cases where there was an incident at the checkpoint. If and when the passenger is prosecuted that video evidence would be material.

I'm making no claim that the passenger wasn't at fault but I also don't trust TSA to have the integrity to own up and take responsibility for a self induced incident. TSA's track record is not particularly good on such matters.

GUWonder

Is it the TSA�s video at the screening checkpoints, or is it the airport�s video at the screening checkpoints?

Boggie Dog

Don't know although wouldn't surprise me that TSA would claim videos belong to the airport. I'd next inquire if that area was under video surveillance before TSA's arrival? No straw is too short for plausible deniabililty where TSA is concerned.

N830MH

I don�t like TSA behavior. She had it right. She is allowed to bring her apple juice. We aren�t talking about LGA in the past. That�s from the past! All they want to relaxed the 3-1-1 rules. There�s no restrictions. It�s free country! It�s been almost nearly two decades now. Tired of them! Abolish them! Now!

Loren Pechtel

If TSA was telling the truth why haven't they released the video?

When we don't see the video it's usually not favorable, whatever law enforcement it is.

Section 107

Typically the video all around the airport is "owned" by Airport Operations department. Default is the video is kept for 30 days and a request must be made to preserve it longer than 30 days (request is typically done by an attorney). If the video becomes part of an "incident" it will be kept indefinitely or until some period of time after the incident is closed. But TSA does not own it - even as they can request a copy of it and then they own the copy.

Boggie Dog

Wonder who funded the installation of the cameras and other surveillance equipment?

Section 107

Enplanement fees pay the majority of expenses to operate airports (offset by other revenue) - security falls into the overall operations bucket as opposed to capital improvement projects funded by DoT/FAA AIP grant funds.

Certainly surveillance capability was expanded in the wake of the 9/11 and requirements from TSA for more rigorous security programs. And this expansion was surely aided by federal grant funds but every operator pays its expenses to meet the requirements of its security program. TSA does not own or control the video or equipment. They have to request the video just as does FAA, FBI, DEA and the airport police department.

GUWonder

At every major and most minor US airports with multiple common carrier flights daily, the USG has subsidized them directly or indirectly. And the airport operators know it. They don’t want to bite the hands that feed them big time.

Boggie Dog

Does TSA have to request to view video from the airport? I ask because a recent incident where my carry on was quickly grabbed as it was exiting xray and ran through the screeing device twice. I notice the zipper partially opened just as the bag emerged the second time. I asked to speak to the checkpoint supervisor. After explaining my concern she said she'd check the checkpoint video, stepped in an adjacent room, returning shortly saying the bags zipper was partially opened the entire time. Did the supervisor just blow off my concern or do they actually have real time access to checkpoint video? Based on that interaction I felt they were truthful and embraced my concern. It was a surprisingly professionally handled encounter.

Section 107

I think you can believe the answer but I don't know the answer to that one - if TSA access to PSC video is at all airports or a capability only at the airport in question. GSOLTSO might know that answer. Technically it shouldnt be difficult for them to have instant access to checkpoint area video. In fact, it would make it easier on the Ops Dept, too, since they would no longer have to take time out to respond to requests for video as TSA will know exactly which camera and timeframe to search for/review. But there would of course, be some cost to arranging it and so won't surprise me if that capability is not everywhere, yet.

But the official owner of the video is Airport Ops.

GUWonder

Here is the TSA in its own words:

How often does a US airport refuse to give the TSA the videos on demand from the TSA? 50% of the time when demanded by the TSA? 1% of the time when demanded by the TSA? Or even closer to 0% than 1% of the time when demanded by the TSA?

The video footage of this incident at PHX probably is already in the hands of the TSA at TSA HQ. The question I suggest asking is the following one: “How does the video footage get from PHX to TSA HQ?”