Superguy

Some of us still like to travel anonymously without having to produce our papers to the government. You know, kinda like what you Ausies DON'T have to do to fly domestically?

Ripper3785

TSA is NOT law enforcement. It is not their job to make sure a passport in a persons belongings belongs to the person in control of it. They are searching to see that no prohibited items go past the checkpoint.


Again, not their job. TSA is not a law enforcement agency.

NY-FLA

Well I have to think that anyone, escaped convict or not, stupid enough to say "I have no ID to escape detection" deserves whatever idiocy the TSA can dish up, and the TSA have a deep trough of idiocy to dish from.



Yep, how many billions of screenings so far and not a single terrorist caught, stopped, hindered or apprehended? Guess we need to give up a few more civil rights to increase the success rate somewhere above absolute zero. Perhaps you Australians would like to go first... sought of a test?

LHR/MEL/Europe FF

Perhaps we should ask not whether a terrorist has been caught, but whether an act of terrorism has been stopped.

I know I'm the only one round here that actually feels safer having all these checks place. This is a true story... I was getting my bag checked for the third time at a London airport (they were trying to find some unidentified object which they couldn't actually tell me where they had seen it or what it looked for 'security reasons', sigh) and I said 'look, I travel every couple of weeks to the states with this same bag and contents, they, with all their security, have never had an issue with any item I'm carrying' - you should have seen the look on their faces. (It was a pair of nail clippers btw.)

Regards

lme ff

SDF_Traveler

For starters, it isn't the TSA's job to enforce criminal law. TSO's are not law enforcement officers. The searches they conduct are administrative and one is not required to show ID per Gilmore v Gonzales.

If someone has a fake or stolen ID, it doesn't mean they're a security threat on a flight. Just screen the person .. no weapons or dangerous items, they're free to travel as far as I'm concerned. If the person is using the fake or stolen ID to engage in criminal activity, there is a good chance law enforcement will catch up with them based on their investigation.

In the case of the escaped convict, that is a law enforcement issue. Law enforcement would provide the media mug shots of an escapee to bring about public awareness. If a member of the public sees the wanted, they can call law enforcement. Law enforcement will also be looking for the wanted individual at transportation hubs (bus & train stations, airports, etc). If recognized by a TSO or anyone else, there is law enforcement in the airports.

As long as the individual is properly screened, I don't care. It is legal to fly without ID; while I choose to show ID, it doesn't bother me if someone else doesn't want to provide ID. ID does not = security.

The US is an open society where people may travel at will. We also have god given rights to us per the US Constitution & Amendments, which includes the Bill of Rights. I place a high value on the 4th amendment which protects people from illegal searches and seizures.

I would rather have one bad person go free than have an innocent person locked up.

The OP decided not to present ID. The OP still underwent security.

It isn't up to the TSA to deal with convicts or criminals - that is the role of law enforcement. They tend to do a good job.

The TSA needs all the luck they can get. I'm of the mindset that if the TSA does discover a terrorist, it is going to be one who is sloppy. The TSA doesn't have the resources (equipment) to be doing the best it can and has many misplaced priorities, in my opinion.

While the TSA covers passenger checkpoints, the "backdoor" is wide open. I'm more concerned about stolen or fake SIDA badges and those with ramp access who bypass security.

Intelligence and Law Enforcement work is the best hope at uncovering a terrorist or group wanting to cause harm.

birdstrike

Since the TSA only has to backstop my magic rock, I can guarantee they have not stopped an act of terrorism.

NY-FLA

I'm quite sure TSA has stopped billions of terrorist acts (just ask them). Many TSO's certanly seem to have been successful cowing a good portion of the population into quiet submission by treating them all as terrorists.


Perhaps we should ask How many more freedoms we should surrender to be permitted by the gods of airport security to take this domestic trip.

Your nail-clipper story: Neither enlightning nor amusing.

birdstrike

The Aussies have never been the same since they were forced to give up their weapons.

NY-FLA

Not unlike the Scots. (With a respectful exception to Glasgwellians (sp?) )

Superguy

I still like that one story an FT'er told about going thru immigration in Oz. His companion was asked if he had a criminal record and he said "Is it still required?" He was reffered to secondary.

Superguy

Do you really believe someone could hijack a plane with nail clippers? Did that really make you feel safer?

SDF_Traveler

Just hop to the TSA Spin site and you can read about all the people arrested for suspicious behavior with the "What happened this week at the TSA"

BTW, some news from the website:

It was also announced a screener in Seattle is getting the "LASIK "I"" award for detecting a fake Florida drivers license. A 2nd award, "The Norwalk" is being issued to a DFW screener who quickly digested an ID problem based on his gut feeling with geography - Through quick action he dealt with a Vegas bound passenger.

Tune into "A Week in TSA History" next week where we expose why BWI is #1 in the nation....

MrAndy1369

WHAT?!

They actually put your name and seat assignment?! This freaks me out really badly. You may think it's harmless, but what if they keep a record? HOW IS THIS EVEN THEIR BUSINESS?! JUST GIVE YOU A SECONDARY - DO NOT PUT YOUR NAME DOWN!

I'm so pissed. I called DCA's TSA department to ask about this also today - looks like the guy lied to me! He said if someone forgot their ID, the ID checker would just put down what the flight # is for survey purposes, NO personally identifiable information at all whatosever.

Sorry if I seem overreactive or really upset, but this just freaks me out. Why put your name on a "list" if you don't have ID? What's the point?

LHR/MEL/Europe FF

NY-FLA, Superguy

The security check-point in the UK didn't believe anyone could hijack a plane using a pair of nail-clippers. They just saw some item, which looked unfamiliar, and was metal, and kept searching the bag over and over. They wouldn't let me go into the bag myself, nor would they say what they were looking for because of 'security'. They just kept going and kept x-raying it.

NY-FLA, my story shows how I pointed out to the UK security point that I believed the US had got it right. The same clippers went through the US every couple of weeks and they knew what they were looking at and didn't unecessarily detain people (like I was being in the UK).
Nothing amusing about it.


As I said - I must be the only person who agrees with the security in the US. I feel safer. You can get blown up by a stupid terrorist as well as a smart one. If the TSA or anyone catches the stupid one that's one less I have to worry about.

Regards

LME ff

Cee

Andy, as I said before, at my airport we do not take personal info down for the SSSS screenings. My understanding of the forms use is just to track the reasons why people are being made SSSS at the checkpoint. However, there is a longer version of the form that requires more information from the PAX...this long form is ONLY used if the situation escalates to a LEO call. Maybe in the OP's case, with the FAM getting involved, it was considered a LEO call.

Maybe some of the other TSO's on here will explain how they use the forms at their airports.