TSA on Sounder Commuter Train
Jun 30, 2011, 2:37 pm
#1
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TSA on Sounder Commuter Train
A friend of mine commutes into Downtown Seattle from Auburn on the Sounder commuter train and told me he saw a pair of TSA agents walking up and down the train today.
His description:
Blue Shirts, Blue Jackets, black pants, silver badges, black boots, "TSA INSPECTOR" on the back of their jackets.
They never made verbal contact with anyone during the commuter, just walked up and down the aisle, scanning passengers.
He said it's the first time he's seen them.
I guess their in step one on the sounder train:
1. Get them used to seeing you there.
His description:
Blue Shirts, Blue Jackets, black pants, silver badges, black boots, "TSA INSPECTOR" on the back of their jackets.
They never made verbal contact with anyone during the commuter, just walked up and down the aisle, scanning passengers.
He said it's the first time he's seen them.
I guess their in step one on the sounder train:
1. Get them used to seeing you there.
Jun 30, 2011, 2:44 pm
#2
Join Date: Jun 2011
Posts: 112
A friend of mine commutes into Downtown Seattle from Auburn on the Sounder commuter train and told me he saw a pair of TSA agents walking up and down the train today.
His description:
Blue Shirts, Blue Jackets, black pants, silver badges, black boots, "TSA INSPECTOR" on the back of their jackets.
They never made verbal contact with anyone during the commuter, just walked up and down the aisle, scanning passengers.
He said it's the first time he's seen them.
I guess their in step one on the sounder train:
1. Get them used to seeing you there.
His description:
Blue Shirts, Blue Jackets, black pants, silver badges, black boots, "TSA INSPECTOR" on the back of their jackets.
They never made verbal contact with anyone during the commuter, just walked up and down the aisle, scanning passengers.
He said it's the first time he's seen them.
I guess their in step one on the sounder train:
1. Get them used to seeing you there.
But on the flip side, there was a small group of very loosely organized isalmic terrorists in the Seattle Tacoma area who were caught last week before carrying out their plot to blow up a military recruiting office. The TSA may be showing a little extra "presence" around town.... however, that doesn't mean I think the TSA does a good job... far from it. But that might be why they're showing themselves in that particular area, on that particular train. Of course, I would think that since they were investigating these would-be terrorists that maybe they'd patrol BEFORE they caught the creeps, not AFTER.
Jun 30, 2011, 3:10 pm
#3
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Jun 30, 2011, 3:24 pm
#4
Join Date: Jun 2011
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Well, I won't be riding the Sounder anymore I guess. It's back into my big old V8 emission spewing gas guzzling car on our over congested streets.
But on the flip side, there was a small group of very loosely organized isalmic terrorists in the Seattle Tacoma area who were caught last week before carrying out their plot to blow up a military recruiting office. The TSA may be showing a little extra "presence" around town.... however, that doesn't mean I think the TSA does a good job... far from it. But that might be why they're showing themselves in that particular area, on that particular train. Of course, I would think that since they were investigating these would-be terrorists that maybe they'd patrol BEFORE they caught the creeps, not AFTER.
But on the flip side, there was a small group of very loosely organized isalmic terrorists in the Seattle Tacoma area who were caught last week before carrying out their plot to blow up a military recruiting office. The TSA may be showing a little extra "presence" around town.... however, that doesn't mean I think the TSA does a good job... far from it. But that might be why they're showing themselves in that particular area, on that particular train. Of course, I would think that since they were investigating these would-be terrorists that maybe they'd patrol BEFORE they caught the creeps, not AFTER.
Had they been walking up and down the aisles before the arrests you would have complained. Now you're complaining that they are closing the barn doors after the horses have bolted. You can't have it both ways.
Jun 30, 2011, 4:44 pm
#5
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...there was a small group of very loosely organized isalmic terrorists in the Seattle Tacoma area who were caught last week before carrying out their plot to blow up a military recruiting office. The TSA may be showing a little extra "presence" around town... that might be why they're showing themselves in that particular area, on that particular train.
TSOs just wandering the train trying to look fierce doesn't stop or deter anything.
I saw a few of them standing around Washington Union Station on a Saturday morning too, a few months ago... not on a train, just stumping around the gate areas, staring at people pointlessly like a dumpy little clump of Paul Blarts. If the powers that be think this stuff intimidates Islamic terrorists, that would be either hilarious or heartbreaking. Not sure which.
Jun 30, 2011, 6:53 pm
#7
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Good news is they are there in no official capacity other than to be seen. No screening. No threats of being detained. No radios to call in an air strike from a circling Predator.
So tell them what you think of them and their ilk as a private citizen to another private citizen. 1st amendment and all that.
Of course it might be a crazier sort of sighting. TSA wannabes - whackers!
So tell them what you think of them and their ilk as a private citizen to another private citizen. 1st amendment and all that.
Of course it might be a crazier sort of sighting. TSA wannabes - whackers!
Jun 30, 2011, 7:14 pm
#8
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A friend of mine commutes into Downtown Seattle from Auburn on the Sounder commuter train and told me he saw a pair of TSA agents walking up and down the train today.
His description:
Blue Shirts, Blue Jackets, black pants, silver badges, black boots, "TSA INSPECTOR" on the back of their jackets...
His description:
Blue Shirts, Blue Jackets, black pants, silver badges, black boots, "TSA INSPECTOR" on the back of their jackets...
Jun 30, 2011, 8:12 pm
#10
Join Date: Jun 2011
Posts: 112
You are assuming that the threat stopped with those arrests. You are also assuming that there wasn't any information provided by the arresterd individuals that mught have pointed to other threats.
Had they been walking up and down the aisles before the arrests you would have complained. Now you're complaining that they are closing the barn doors after the horses have bolted. You can't have it both ways.
Had they been walking up and down the aisles before the arrests you would have complained. Now you're complaining that they are closing the barn doors after the horses have bolted. You can't have it both ways.
I just had a logical thought though. (sha-bang! That only happens every so often) These TSO's might not have actually been working. The Sounder train goes from Seattle to Tacoma it DOES stop at Sea-Tac. I'm wondering if they were SEA TSO's playing intimidator on their commute. Betcha that's more likely the story here.
Jun 30, 2011, 8:14 pm
#11
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Why not? I don't think they do anything useful, so I don't want them walking around any time.
Jun 30, 2011, 8:22 pm
#12
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Boston
Posts: 821
I've seen guys with "TSA Inspector" jackets accompanying MBTA Transit Police while they're violating the Fourth Amendment -- I mean, searching passengers' bags for explosives. I wonder if bag searches are coming soon to the Sounder trains?
Jun 30, 2011, 10:10 pm
#13
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 156
I WISH Clouseau worked for the tsa, at least then we could get a good laugh every now and then 
I just had a logical thought though. (sha-bang! That only happens every so often) These TSO's might not have actually been working. The Sounder train goes from Seattle to Tacoma it DOES stop at Sea-Tac. I'm wondering if they were SEA TSO's playing intimidator on their commute. Betcha that's more likely the story here.
Actually, the Sounder doesn't go to SeaTac, just the light rail, and there doesn't appear to be a convenient transfer point except at King St. Station in Seattle or the Tukwila station if there's a shuttle bus and while I don't doubt that the tsa's workers aren't smart enough to realize how out of the way going all the way to Seattle would be, I somehow don't think that's the case.
I just had a logical thought though. (sha-bang! That only happens every so often) These TSO's might not have actually been working. The Sounder train goes from Seattle to Tacoma it DOES stop at Sea-Tac. I'm wondering if they were SEA TSO's playing intimidator on their commute. Betcha that's more likely the story here.
Jun 30, 2011, 10:32 pm
#14
Join Date: Jun 2011
Posts: 112
I WISH Clouseau worked for the tsa, at least then we could get a good laugh every now and then
Actually, the Sounder doesn't go to SeaTac, just the light rail, and there doesn't appear to be a convenient transfer point except at King St. Station in Seattle or the Tukwila station if there's a shuttle bus and while I don't doubt that the tsa's workers aren't smart enough to realize how out of the way going all the way to Seattle would be, I somehow don't think that's the case.
Actually, the Sounder doesn't go to SeaTac, just the light rail, and there doesn't appear to be a convenient transfer point except at King St. Station in Seattle or the Tukwila station if there's a shuttle bus and while I don't doubt that the tsa's workers aren't smart enough to realize how out of the way going all the way to Seattle would be, I somehow don't think that's the case.
Jun 30, 2011, 10:34 pm
#15
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But on the flip side, there was a small group of very loosely organized isalmic terrorists in the Seattle Tacoma area who were caught last week before carrying out their plot to blow up a military recruiting office. The TSA may be showing a little extra "presence" around town.... however, that doesn't mean I think the TSA does a good job... far from it. But that might be why they're showing themselves in that particular area, on that particular train. Of course, I would think that since they were investigating these would-be terrorists that maybe they'd patrol BEFORE they caught the creeps, not AFTER.
Why would you think that? Every single thing the TSA does is AFTER an event (which has not involved them in any way)...