TSA theft stats
 

Good article. Thanks for posting.

The only offensive part of the article for me:

How arrogant.

So travelers are searched with fine tooth combs to make certain no pocketknives slip by (which even most screeners here seem to agree makes no real sense) yet screeners should not be searched to see if they have stolen things while going thru everyone ele's stuff.

Hatfield, you are a typical arrogant government idiot.

Screeners should only be treated like potential criminals when they are searched for pocketknives every time they traverse a checkpoint yet should never be presumed to be criminals when it comes to stealing our stuff. Thank you, Hatfield, and thank you, TSA. Thank you very much.

There is a difference
 

There are some areas in some airports where screeners are screened to get into their baggage assignments. There are some areas where they are not. IT depends on the airport layout.

:confused:

I'm not talking about screening on the way in, I'm talking (as was Hatfield) about screening on the way OUT. Like at the BPE where the government prints money.

I couldn't care less whether they are searched on the way in - what should occur is a complete search on the way out to see if they have any items on them. Rule could be very simple. Screeners have no personal items on them at any times. No jewelry, no nothing. Max of $10 or $20 for lunch (which they show on the way in). Anything in their possession at the end of their shift - fired.

Wow
 

That would be a hard one to accomplish.

Hard like trying to find weapons and bombs on innocent people?
;)

I don't know, IMO that's a bit of overkill. And airport isn't the BPE and ingress/egress of items can't be controlled that tightly due to the huge number of pax bags involved.

Treating screeners like criminals (going in or out of their workplace) isn't going to do any good. If a checkpoint screener wants to let a prohibited item in, all they have to do is "miss" the item on their accomplice when he goes through the checkpoint. If they want to steal from bags, all they have to do is move the item from one bag to another (owned by an accomplice) or set the item aside and take it during a quiet/non-observable time.

The only way to prevent these problems is 1) hire a professional/competent workforce, 2) keep it that way, and 3) humiliate, fire, criminally charge, and imprison for several years anyone caught stealing, accepting bribes, or abetting someone trying to slip through prohibited items,

I agree with you there. Any TSA screener should be immediately fired if caught red-handed. I know the government does this whole "administrative leave" thing while they investigate. What investigation is needed? He's holding the item that was stolen!!! I've seen some investigations take a couple months to complete and they were finally fired. 2 months!!! I hated knowing they were on the payroll all that time. What does that teach our screeners? When your ready to quit, just get caught stealing something. At least you will draw 2 months pay while you are on your new job! :mad:

Humiliating them at the airport doesn't seem to be a bad idea...

Why not? That is how pax are treated :).

Sarcasm aside, nobody should be treated like criminals at airports. Pax or screeners. If a screener is cuaght red handed, indict him. If there is PROBABLE SUSPICION to search a screener or his belongings, then do so. I think airport security should have the right to search those who screen bags, but not do it as a general rule.

Everybody should be given the benefit of the doubt. But if caught AND CONFIRMED to be up to no good then throw the book at them. This goes for screeners on the take or pax sneaking guns on board. But not bookmarks...

That's a pretty inflamatory post. I believe the vast majority of TSA staff are honest and diligent and, to arbitrarily search their belongings on the assumption that they could have acted criminally is absurd. Why not search all bank tellers as they leave work? Why not search all baggage handlers as they leave work? Why not check up on all internet chat-room posters that you employ on the basis they must be using the firm's time inappropriately?

You can't have it both ways - to argue that screeners should be searched without probable cause and yet passengers shouldn't is.....well....inconsistent. To argue that they both should is.....well....bizarre.

Passengers are already searched without probable cause (unless buying a one way ticket is reasonable probable cause).

Ask a bank teller what happens if there's money missing from the funds that he/she is responsible for. Even as little as a dollar. ;) They are expected to find it, even if it means staying late. And if it happens more than extremely rarely, guess what happens to the bank teller?

There's accountability (pun!) at the bank. There's no accountability at the TSA, unless perhaps, one is caught red-handed. Then maybe there is some accountability but not always.

I disagree. See: Goose and Gander. ;)

If searching the TSA staff strikes you as bizarre, well, so does searching 650 million airline pax, if you ask me. :)

We're government employees and have passed background checks, so nobody is allowed to assume we'd steal from the customers (so we can't be searched arbitrarily) strikes me as, well, bizzare.

The vast majority of pax are honest and diligent, yet the searches and rubdowns continue.

Have a good day. :)

I agree that screeners should not be allowed to bring backpacks and bags into their work areas such as checked baggage screening. Also they should not be carrying amounts of money or wear Jewelry. Not all airports have a break/locker room for screeners so this may not be practical everywhere.

Not having bags in the area is a logical CYA.

That's exactly why the TSA should do this -- CYA. Then, there would be an almost zero chance that a screener, or group of screeners, was doing the screening. Combined with this would be walking through the metal detector with your pockets empty and turned out. It the TSA is really concerned about screener theft (and, I'm not sure they really are), they would go through this. Any screener that didn't like it could resign. Any screener who could work around this lock-down and STILL manage to steal from luggage should be out there trying to find bin Laden.