TSA Refuses to Halt "Pat-Downs"-Estimated That 2 MM PAX Per Week Are Affected.
Dec 5, 2004, 10:15 pm
#1
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TSA Refuses to Halt "Pat-Downs"-Estimated That 2 MM PAX Per Week Are Affected.
Agency won't halt airport pat-downs
WASHINGTON — Despite a barrage of complaints, the Transportation Security
Administration will continue to require physical pat-downs for some
passengers at security checkpoints.
The agency's top officials said security precautions prevent them from
eliminating the procedures put in place in September after female terrorists
brought down two Russian planes by apparently smuggling explosives under
their clothing. The TSA has spent billions of dollars on high-tech equipment
to improve security, but passenger screening still largely relies on
low-tech methods, including screeners running their hands up and down
travelers' bodies. A few airports have machines that can detect explosives
on a body, but most don't.
Lucy Hawkins, a former drill sergeant and physical trainer who lives in
Alexandria, Va., said she was pulled aside for screening last month at
Dulles International Airport. The screeners explained what they needed to do
before touching her, but she said she still felt uncomfortable.
"I understand there has to be a level of security, but as human beings we
need to have some privacy ... especially women who are large-breasted," she
said. Underwire bras are a problem because the metal sets off the
magnetometer, subjecting large numbers of women to a pat-down that involves
examining under and between the breasts to search for explosives.
In reaction to the 300 complaints it has received, the TSA is taking steps
to better prepare passengers for physical inspection. The agency will place
signs in security lines warning of the possibility of physical inspection
and will install placards inside screening areas that explain that pat-down
procedures call for screeners to touch the body. Officials said they already
have directed screeners to offer fuller explanations of what the pat-downs
will entail and why they are necessary. Screeners also must now tell
passengers they have the option to move to a private area for the procedure.
"The majority of complaints appear to be from a lack of communication" with
the passenger about the pat-down procedures, said Jonathan Fleming, the
TSA's chief operating officer. "We're looking at ways we can improve those
interactions."
TSA's policy requires that female screeners inspect female passengers,
except in rare cases when a female screener is not available, such as at a
small airport.
The TSA estimates that 15 percent of the traveling public, or nearly 2
million passengers per week, are selected for pat-downs. The procedure
occurs if a passenger sets off the walk-through metal detector or is
preselected by a computer system. Screeners also may use their discretion in
selecting a passenger for additional screening, for instance, if a passenger
is wearing bulky clothing that could conceal explosives.
WASHINGTON — Despite a barrage of complaints, the Transportation Security
Administration will continue to require physical pat-downs for some
passengers at security checkpoints.
The agency's top officials said security precautions prevent them from
eliminating the procedures put in place in September after female terrorists
brought down two Russian planes by apparently smuggling explosives under
their clothing. The TSA has spent billions of dollars on high-tech equipment
to improve security, but passenger screening still largely relies on
low-tech methods, including screeners running their hands up and down
travelers' bodies. A few airports have machines that can detect explosives
on a body, but most don't.
Lucy Hawkins, a former drill sergeant and physical trainer who lives in
Alexandria, Va., said she was pulled aside for screening last month at
Dulles International Airport. The screeners explained what they needed to do
before touching her, but she said she still felt uncomfortable.
"I understand there has to be a level of security, but as human beings we
need to have some privacy ... especially women who are large-breasted," she
said. Underwire bras are a problem because the metal sets off the
magnetometer, subjecting large numbers of women to a pat-down that involves
examining under and between the breasts to search for explosives.
In reaction to the 300 complaints it has received, the TSA is taking steps
to better prepare passengers for physical inspection. The agency will place
signs in security lines warning of the possibility of physical inspection
and will install placards inside screening areas that explain that pat-down
procedures call for screeners to touch the body. Officials said they already
have directed screeners to offer fuller explanations of what the pat-downs
will entail and why they are necessary. Screeners also must now tell
passengers they have the option to move to a private area for the procedure.
"The majority of complaints appear to be from a lack of communication" with
the passenger about the pat-down procedures, said Jonathan Fleming, the
TSA's chief operating officer. "We're looking at ways we can improve those
interactions."
TSA's policy requires that female screeners inspect female passengers,
except in rare cases when a female screener is not available, such as at a
small airport.
The TSA estimates that 15 percent of the traveling public, or nearly 2
million passengers per week, are selected for pat-downs. The procedure
occurs if a passenger sets off the walk-through metal detector or is
preselected by a computer system. Screeners also may use their discretion in
selecting a passenger for additional screening, for instance, if a passenger
is wearing bulky clothing that could conceal explosives.
Dec 5, 2004, 10:46 pm
#2
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"In reaction to the 300 complaints it has received, the TSA is taking steps to better prepare passengers for physical inspection. The agency will place signs in security lines warning of the possibility of physical inspection and will install placards inside screening areas that explain that pat-down procedures call for screeners to touch the body."
The TSA not only can't count (they have received more than 300 complaints) but also is completely unresponsive.
We don't want to be better prepared, we want the disgusting harassment to stop.
The TSA not only can't count (they have received more than 300 complaints) but also is completely unresponsive.
We don't want to be better prepared, we want the disgusting harassment to stop.
Dec 5, 2004, 11:04 pm
#3
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The agency's top officials said security precautions prevent them from
eliminating the procedures put in place in September after female terrorists
brought down two Russian planes by apparently smuggling explosives under
their clothing.
eliminating the procedures put in place in September after female terrorists
brought down two Russian planes by apparently smuggling explosives under
their clothing.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/3660772.stm
http://eng.pulkovo.ru/press/pressa?id=507
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...2004Sep17.html
Dec 6, 2004, 4:44 am
#4
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What an incredible spin! The TSA has concluded that the whole minor spat over gropings/patdowns has been because the public has been under-informed. ...just a few signs and the problem goes away. I'll bet they get away with it.
Dec 6, 2004, 5:23 am
#5
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Posts: 75
Originally Posted by Spiff
"The agency will place signs in security lines warning of the possibility of physical inspection and will install placards inside screening areas that explain that pat-down procedures call for screeners to touch the body."
Dec 7, 2004, 9:39 pm
#6
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Fantastic. So 100 million passengers will be violated each year in a pointless search for nonexistent groin and breast bombs.
This lunacy would make Col Kurtz look completely sane by comparison.
This lunacy would make Col Kurtz look completely sane by comparison.
Dec 8, 2004, 6:55 am
#7
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The TSA estimates that 15 percent of the traveling public, or nearly 2
million passengers per week, are selected for pat-downs.
million passengers per week, are selected for pat-downs.
These risk-avoidance TSA policies are subjecting untold millions of non-threatening, law-abiding US citizens a level of physical contact with authorities that they otherwise would never encounter in their lives and would normally be reserved for a (relative) handful of suspected and actual criminals.
And the sadder thing is that it's mostly in the name of political correctness, feel-good policies, and absoultely stupid selection criteria. If TSA would actually reserve the patdowns only to resolve actual, visually evident "abnormal bulges" instead of groping people who refuse to take of their shoes or bought a one-way ticket, there would be orders of magnitude fewer patdowns and orders of magnitude (if any) fewer complaints.
Dec 8, 2004, 12:47 pm
#8
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Originally Posted by studentff
Anybody have any idea how many law-enforcement arrests and/or stop-and-frisks are made each day/year nationwide? My guess is that it's not 2 million per week or even close to that.
These risk-avoidance TSA policies are subjecting untold millions of non-threatening, law-abiding US citizens a level of physical contact with authorities that they otherwise would never encounter in their lives and would normally be reserved for a (relative) handful of suspected and actual criminals.
And the sadder thing is that it's mostly in the name of political correctness, feel-good policies, and absoultely stupid selection criteria. If TSA would actually reserve the patdowns only to resolve actual, visually evident "abnormal bulges" instead of groping people who refuse to take of their shoes or bought a one-way ticket, there would be orders of magnitude fewer patdowns and orders of magnitude (if any) fewer complaints.
These risk-avoidance TSA policies are subjecting untold millions of non-threatening, law-abiding US citizens a level of physical contact with authorities that they otherwise would never encounter in their lives and would normally be reserved for a (relative) handful of suspected and actual criminals.
And the sadder thing is that it's mostly in the name of political correctness, feel-good policies, and absoultely stupid selection criteria. If TSA would actually reserve the patdowns only to resolve actual, visually evident "abnormal bulges" instead of groping people who refuse to take of their shoes or bought a one-way ticket, there would be orders of magnitude fewer patdowns and orders of magnitude (if any) fewer complaints.
The FBI estimates that 13.6 million arrests occured nationwide in 2003:
http://www.fbi.gov/ucr/cius_03/pdf/03sec4.pdf
By the TSA's estimates it has already performed about 20 million offensive patdowns since the September changes were implemented. That is likely more than law enforcement will frisk/patdown during an entire year, and that's allowing a rather generous 6.4 million frisks/patdowns by nationwide law enforcement that don't end in arrest.