SPOTTED at IAD
#31
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#32
Join Date: Mar 2007
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My automatic assumption is that people practicing SPOT include:
- Any TSO asking me anything other than a phrase constituting a Demand to see my ID or B/P
- Any LEO that decides to strike up a conversation while I am on airport property
- Any unknown individual who decides to strike up a conversation with me while I am on airport property
#33


Join Date: Oct 2006
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Are these SPOTTERS necessarily uniformed or plain-clothes, or can it be both? People checking one's BP in line are uniformed, but the comment about some random person, and I am paraphrasing here, "striking up a conversation on airport property", seem that they might be plain-clothes.
I'll definitely have to keep my eyes open for this in the coming months.
I'll definitely have to keep my eyes open for this in the coming months.
#34
Join Date: Mar 2007
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Are these SPOTTERS necessarily uniformed or plain-clothes, or can it be both? People checking one's BP in line are uniformed, but the comment about some random person, and I am paraphrasing here, "striking up a conversation on airport property", seem that they might be plain-clothes.
I'll definitely have to keep my eyes open for this in the coming months.
I'll definitely have to keep my eyes open for this in the coming months.
However, I make an educated guess about other folks in the airport. It hardly makes sense to run an intelligence gathering operation with strictly uniformed personnel. Are there actually plainclothes SPOT personnel, I don't truly know. Could there be...absolutely.
#36
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: Brattleboro, VT
Posts: 706
OP here. In following the recent posts I've come to the conclusion that "The Crow" was so inept that they wanted to get him away from the screening area. So they said "why don't you go over to the queue and play spot."
The problem with all of this is that I was in a hurry and afraid I'd miss my plane. My sense is that these are the people who get caught in the SPOT net and can least afford to make small talk. Of course I'm nervous, my plane leaves in 15 minutes, I've waited in the queue for 15 minutes, and now you're gonna harass me.
The problem with all of this is that I was in a hurry and afraid I'd miss my plane. My sense is that these are the people who get caught in the SPOT net and can least afford to make small talk. Of course I'm nervous, my plane leaves in 15 minutes, I've waited in the queue for 15 minutes, and now you're gonna harass me.
#39
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And the taxpayers have furnished them with either:
Terrorism for Dummies
or
The Complete Idiot's Guide to Terrorism
Terrorism for Dummies
or
The Complete Idiot's Guide to Terrorism
#40
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#41
Join Date: Dec 2007
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Having worked for a major carrier for many years in Corporate Security, I would say that no, this did not exist in the domestic U.S. as it has been implemented by TSA, and, in fact, not really anything like it.
#42
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#43




Join Date: Oct 2007
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If they were smart they would get some beautiful ladies strolling about SPOTing the different guys out there. Then they might talk more 
I feel safer already...
Ciao,
FH

I feel safer already...
Ciao,
FH
#44
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#45
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Are these SPOTTERS necessarily uniformed or plain-clothes, or can it be both? People checking one's BP in line are uniformed, but the comment about some random person, and I am paraphrasing here, "striking up a conversation on airport property", seem that they might be plain-clothes.
I'll definitely have to keep my eyes open for this in the coming months.
I'll definitely have to keep my eyes open for this in the coming months.
I kinda figured he was the SPOTTER, because of where he was standing, but for fun I stared up at him all the way up the escalator, and saw his ID badge.
I only paid attention because I had just read some article about "SPOT caches men with guns at BWI" on the tsa website.

