TSA. document experts
 

as this program is being rolled out here in Phoenix, I'm guessing it has another purpose. that of catching illegals. The illegal ID business is booming here in the valley. PHX is the major jumping off point for illegals to move on to other cities.

I'm not sure what this has to do with security, but that's my $.02

Does the TSA think that it's entirely unlikely that determined terrorists might not just recruit perfectly legit US citizens with legit ID's etc, to commit terrorist attacks?

Why does it feel like these people have no clue.

On top of all of that, why would a dead terrorist care if you know who he or she is?

How long did it take to find the identities of the 9/11 terrorists? Not long. Didn't keep it from happening.

For most airlines I fly, you don't even need Photoshop. A "full" version of Acrobat (not Acrobat Reader) is typically enough to make OLCI BPs have any name, date, flight number, etc. you want.

I am infuriated by these ham-handed attempts to push us around and "I can't take it anymore!" Yesterday, I had a BP checker demand that I remove my DL from my wallet so that she could determine if it was real or forged. I am a retired cop and worked questioned documents and hot checks for about a year when I was in the detective bureau. There is no way that a $5.15 per hour ID gatekeeper using only the naked eye is going to discern whether most ID's are are real or not. I am just so tired of the increasing intrusions.

In Kansas City (MCI) last week the contract screeners were so painstaking and callous that I just about assaulted one of them. I have an artificial hip and get the full monty every time I go through the WTMD. Now, just because I alarm, I have to remove my belt, and get felt up by some reprobate who gets his jollies off of treating me like a criminal suspect. I watched them go through a woman's bags right next to the gate in view of everyone and set every item including a couple of tampons on the table in full view of other pax. She turned as red as could be and was told not to touch anything until the screener finished and put things back. . . This is so wrong on so many levels that it is beyond comprehension.

In the last week, I have been told twice now to take off my watch and wedding ring and hand them to the screener so that they can be inspected after I have been hand wanded, and pat searched. I politely asked what would happen if I chose not to do that, and was asked - "do you want to travel today?" by both screeners when I objected. So, I am totally vulnerable to the screeners attitudes. I usually tell them that I am a frequent flyer and know the routine before they start the search just to shut them up. I have been told several times that they have to tell me what to do, because its policy. I keep my head down, do what I'm told and try to avoid speaking or making eye contact with them. I just want to get the whole business over with and get away from them.

I am taking the PMP exam next week and I am going to start looking for another job, so that I can avoid air travel to multiple destinations. I fly 3 or 4 days of each week and love the consulting I do, but I am just burned out about getting frisked every time I fly. I am afraid the ba$%$$%ds have worn me down.

I have written congresspeople and UA about the unconcionable way that we are treated by overzealous TSA and airport personnel and never gotten any comment back other than "security in this day and age is evolving", we can't be too careful". Yeccchh!

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows 98; PalmSource/Palm-D052; Blazer/4.5) 16;320x320)

It's security theater at its finest - and cheap to boot. Just pay a few part-time screeners, avoid spending millions on puffers, and achieve the same level of warm fuzzies from Joe Sixpack.

...and, everytime the local news goes out to the airport, they ALWAYS film the ID checker. This has nothing to do with security and everything to do with image.

Grounds for immediate termination.

Come the revolution.

Or just get a real ID using fake documentation.

Great to see someone with a background in law enforcement speak out against these procedures. Thank you. ^^

Pray tell, what exactly are they going to discern from "inspecting" your watch and ring? Are they now looking for fake Rolexes? I can't even come up with any kind of example for inspecting a wedding band; this is just too bizarre. I think this would trigger the summoning of a supervisor or higher.

If I ever had this happen to me, it would result in the summoning of an STSO, the GSC, FSD, closest LEO and LEO supervisor.

The same stupid thing they get out of reading every piece of paper in your wallet.

I know, I ought to, but frankly I just want to get it over with. I don't feel like taking it up with someone who will give me some lip service and then tell each other that they took care of the "<expletive deleted by moderator> that complained about Ralph or Bill or whoever. But, they will rue these days if we can ever get some leadership in Congress and the White House who will listen to those of us who have had it.

My main thought on the ID check is two-fold : I agree it really isn't security per se. On the other hand, it does give the TSO another opportunity to speak and interact with the passenger. Look for the wielder, not the weapon.

BTW, these recruits will be nice old grannies from Iowa to boot!