Everyone gets stuck on "micro-expressions". They are more readily identifiable behavioral cues (you could call them "macro-expressions").

I don't consider myself an amateur psychologist. However, I have a degree in Psychology and I have spent thousands of hours in an airport. By now, even without my BDO training and experience, I can tell you when something or someone is not quite right.

Sorry, I saw the letters tpa and for some reason assumed you were in Tampa. Ah yes - the (in)famous MSP police department. We have plenty of anecdotes about their behavior in and out of the bathroom, including some often violent behavior on the part of a couple of their members. In the case of MSP, I can assume the AD's office has given the airport police wide latitude to act on their behalf - and that might include removing people from the terminal.

I never said the airlines have the final say over who is in the airport - they do have the final say about who flies on their aircraft. If someone is removed from the terminal, there is little they can do about it.

This is all good, but it's only a starting point. Your bosses spin this training and experience level as if SPOT checkers are experts in this practice and on par with their peers at say, El Al. I'm sure we can agree this is not the case.

I used this same line to get out of jury duty. If that didn't work, I was going to throw out that I could tell if they were guilty just by looking at them!

I never expected to get this far from the OP, is a new thread called for? If so, what should it be titled?

Anyway, yes I agree that it is not equivalent to El Al. However, I also think Israelis give up way more civil liberties than we do, as Americans. Basically, it can considered a scaled-down version of their model. We don't employ racial or ethnic profiling.

Since it is relatively new in the U.S., it is tough to consider anyone a true expert. I do know people, however, that are very good at it. With time I think you will find that it will be true asset to aviation security. Machines and technology are great, but they can't replace human intuition and experience.

Next time you quote me, would you please include the statement before the comma and not take my statement out of context?

Sorry, but anyone who is the least bit aware of his/her surroundings can tell you if something or some one is a bit "off", but does that require SPOTting? I don't think so.

Did no one else catch this Worthy of the Kipster sound bite?

No.

The entire statement is not what I said. But I did edit the post for you.

Maybe I'm misunderstanding what you are saying. Are you saying you (or someone who trained you) are the final arbiter of what is normal and what is abby-normal?

And there are many people on this board who will say they can tell us a great deal about someone (especially someone in a TSA uniform) prior to engaging them in conversation.

Confidence and pomposity are not synonyms.

I didn't say that it did require "SPOTting". In fact, I stated that "even without my BDO training and experience, I can tell you when something or someone is not quite right."

I am "confident" of my abilities. I have studied abnormal behavior in college, have worked in a prison (where abnormal behavior is prevalent), have been trained to readily recognize it by the TSA, and have seen more than my fair share working at the airport. I consider myself well-qualified to determine what is abnormal. However, I don't individual have the final say. As I have said, I consult with my BDO partner/s to gain their perspective on each situation.

People always like to think that they can. ;)

I think everyone in the country needs to take this training. We'd have a fun time psyching each other out. The only reason this stuff might work is because everyone doesn't know how to do it.

So what happens here?

As it turns out, right now I am under a significant amount of job-related stress. Believe me -- I'm stressed! However, even when I'm not stressed, I'm sufficiently misanthropic that I don't like to be crowded in with a bunch of strangers, whether in the club room, on the concourse, or on board. I am not, in the least, inclined to make light conversation with a stranger who walks up to me. Quite the contrary, I will try to shut down the interaction as quickly, albeit politely, as possible.

Will you have the courtesy to identify yourself as a TSA BDO, so I can tell you, politely but firmly, to leave me alone (I almost wrote something else)? Will you require that I speak with you? Under what authority?

Are you going to delay me? Call over a LEO? Call the airline's GSC?



So . . . what?

"Hi, you look nervous...and semi-agitated..."
"Get lost.."
"Seriously, why are you so nervous..."
"I said get lost ... go climb a tree...pound sand...get life"

Since every conversation with a SPOT will be similar to the above...why waste your time?