Then why not respond with that simple answer?

You shouldn't be.

You shouldn't be reporting anything that doesn't relate to aviation safety or security, because you aren't trained or authorized law enforcement officers.

Ok, I'm a little confused. What illegal activity have you seen as being desired to be reported as compared to illegal activity that people don't want reported to LEO's?

what about these?

Wow man, you put file those down to razor edges, paint a metallic based acrylic on the tips, wrap tape around the nail below the tips, et Voila, Woman Wolverine on the rampage....:D

So a BDO (just to use them as an example) is walking through the airport, let's say the non-sterile side, and sees a person steal a persons bag they left behind them on the ground while tebpax talks to a counter person (heck, doesn't even have to be a BDO - at SAT te baggage pods are in the non-sterile area and we can see the couter areas while screening checked-in luggage). As MANY of you have said, once we TSOs are on theclock, once we put on the uniform, we are government "agents", and as governmet agents certain standards apply. We witness something, theft, that has nothing, NOTHING to do with our tasked mission, we are not LEOs, and you would be ok if we just shrugged and did nothing?

This is just one of many examples I coukd give.

I know most of you will blow off my example, as it doesn't fit into your I'll-perceived notions of how the world should be; but I'm asking a serious question, how could you justify reporting that illegal activity we see (remember we are now government agents as many here have said in various threads, not just a regular citizen - not my opinion, but I can only work with what you give me) and then say we have no justification to report other illegal activity? Please explain your logic and we will go from there.

Using a BDO as an example isn't all that wise, considering it is a bogus program from the get-go.

How do you know that the person in the situation you describe was "stealing" the bag? You aren't trained LEO's.

... is a "tebpax?"

Call a real LEO, and go about your business just as if you were another citizen.

You have no more expertise to decide what is an illegal act outside the scope of your authority than a passenger who witnesses the same activity. That you apparently believe that wearing the TSA costume, complete with tin badge, vests you with the apparent authority to act outside the scope of your authority, is exactly what many of us are concerned about when we talk about TSA mission creep.

So you DO want us to call a LEO if we witness something we believe is illegal? Glad we can clear that up! (but I noticed you really didn't answer my question ;) )

And do not be confused: I do not "decide" if something is illegal or not.

And oops, sorry for the type-o's, on my phone here! Meant the passenger :)

edit: I nitice you evade much of what I wrote: fine let's not use the BDO, let's use a non-sterile side TSS baggage screener, like me, who is conducting their job and witnesses the theft.

But even then, you agreeded we should contact a LEO to report illegal behavior.

And either you are unaware or are ignoring what I have said before about uniforms; I wish we wore black or grey sports jackets, slacks, dress shoes, white shirt and tie. The uniform does nothing for me, so as far as your little rant about that, it's meaningless.

Oh, I answered your questions. Just not to your liking. Sorry. :rolleyes:

I didn't use the BDO example because it doesn't help your POV to rely on a program that is hogwash.

While you say you "don't decide if something is illegal," you apparently believe that your status as a government employee gives your report of an apparent illegal act heightened validity. It doesn't.

OK, here's my answer.

As things now stand, I'd prefer that you (or the BDO in your example) do absolutely nothing. I don't like my answer but there it is. Let me reiterate that that is my answer as things now stand.

With a better set of circumstances it would be wonderful for the BDO to summon police if s/he were to observe a supposed theft. However; I have absolutely zero confidence that TSA employees can exercise appropriate judgment, coupled with a respect for passengers' rights, in determining what is properly within their purview while conducting a limited, administrative search for WEI. Thus, the best way to avoid the frequent, pointless harassment that passengers endure for things like homemade batteries, cash, or other innocuous items is to make the rule simple enough for every TSA employee to understand: If it is not a WEI then you didn't see it.

Granted, there is a small chance that some criminal activity would go undetected as a result of that rule; however, that is a reasonable price to pay in order to curtail the everyday violation of rights, retaliatory searches and "Barney Fife" moments that are currently part and parcel of the TSA experience.

^^

Would somebody PLEASE put the "winky smiley face" out of commission? I'm picturing Sarah Palin writing these posts...

We just wish you'd spend your time reporting illegal behavior by TSO's, which is rampant.

;)

Actualy I have done that, once. But I would report any TSO I saw do something illegal. And you bring up a good point....we can't report other people for doing illegal stuff, but we can report TSOs. Hmmmm

;) You betcha.....

It seems I was right.