I recently had a very bizarre encounter with law enforcement in EWR last week. I was flying CO from IAD to BHX for an academic conference and had to change planes in EWR. I am a bit of a tech. geek and I like to carry a small LED flashlight with me when I travel. You just never know when you might need one. I usually leave it clipped in the front pocket of my pants.

While waiting for my plane in Terminal C, I went into a men's restroom to wash my face and hands. As I was exiting, a man in slacks and a dress-shirt quickly stepped from behind me and blocked my path. He flashed a badge at me and firmly stated "can we talk." I asked to see the badge again since he did not verbally identify himself as law enforcement and got another one-second look at it. He pulled me aside in the restroom and asked if I had a knife in my pocket. I replied that it was a flashlight and showed it to him. He saw the light (no pun intended) and quickly decided that I could leave. The whole encounter took about a minute and was truly strange.

In hindsight, I should have asked him to summon a uniformed officer, or allow me to view his badge/credentials long enough to write down his name/badge number and agency, before answering any questions. I have been asking around since the incident happened and looking at pictures of police badges and I can say pretty strongly that the guy wasn't a Port Authority NY/NJ cop. The badge looked very much like a FAM badge. If the guy was a FAM breaking cover to stop me, that's pretty "interesting."

What did the badge look like?

and to add to your hindsight, i would have also asked to be questioned in "public view" and not alone with "an alleged leo" in the restroom of an airport. not a good place to be with no cameras or other witnesses. also, when it was all said and done, yes, i would have asked for a formal view/closer look at the creds so i could record them as it is within your right as a citizen to record the info of a leo.

also, there is a pretty good description of a fam's shield over in post 25 of this thread

And if he'd added, "Or are you just glad to see me?" I'd have made a run for it.

Seriously, sounds like an unsettling experience.

Welcome to FT. ^

Cheers,
Fredd

Thanks for the comments everyone! Here is a link to TSA's website that shows a FAM badge.

http://www.tsa.gov/press/happenings/...agreement.shtm

Again, I only got a very brief look at it so I am not 100% certain. It was in a leather credential holder and he held it so that I could only see the badge side, not the credentials side. I recall that the badge was rather dull, not polished looking like in the TSA photo.

Oh no, a knife!

Yet another waste of public resources harassing a passenger over a non-issue.

I've seen plenty of people killed or injured by knives. How is this a non-issue. The LEO thought he saw a weapon. He stopped the individual, identified himself, verified the item wasn't a weapon and sent him on his way. No big deal.

Maybe I should flash my DL for ID check! Why do they need to take it from my hands and scan it with back light? Just wave it under their noses!

"In this post September 11th world" (how I hate that phrase as an excuse, but it plays nicely here ) A knife is not a credible weapon in attempting to take over an airplane. We have locked cockpit doors and SOP that no longer dictates cooperation with hijackers. That's not to mention a planeload of passengers that will (and have) killed people deemed to be a threat. Of course, there might also be some ballast ...er ... I mean air marshals on board as well.

Even a ballpoint pen can be a lethal weapon if used (properly) improperly. I may have my "smileys" backwards...

Step around him, make him properly identify himself and/or arrest you. In the absence of verbal identification of LEO status, ignore him.

Based on the information posted by OP, I'm not sure whether it was a LEO
or someone "posing" as a LEO.

You can easily buy a similar shield/badge off the street. Heck you can buy
shirts/t-shirt/caps saying "FBI/LAPD/NYPD" etc.


Personally as a flying passenger, I wouldn't worry about someone with a knife
on board.

I've occasionally cut myself making dinner, though those knives wouldn't fit in my pocket; I'm sorry you've had so much exposure to violence.

My interpretation of the OPs telling of the story didn't make the "LEO" sound like a fraud, just an rookie, amateur or wannabe cloak and dagger guy. There's no mention of an attempt at theft of possession, ID, etc.

If some creep accosts me in a bathroom I'm going to shout at the top of my lungs, "GET AWAY FROM ME! YOU'RE NOT MY DADDY!"

He does indeed sound like a rookie if he is a LEO.

So you'll be the first one to step up and confront someone who has a knife on an aircraft? Good for you.