I travel frequently and carry a lot of tools and equipment for work. My checked baggage almost always gets inspected.

At some airports, the x-ray machine and follow up inspection are completed where I can watch. Every time the inspectors open my cases poke around a little and swipe the swab. They are always professional and courteous.

At some airports, the ticket agent takes the bags and puts them on a conveyor at the ticket desk. Many times my bags are completely rifled, the contents of smaller bags dumped out, my clothes have been pulled out and jammed back in, and sometimes the case isn't even securely closed afterward. Each time there was a 'TSA was here' note in the case.

I've complained about this and was basically told there wouldn't be much of a follow up because they were just doing their job.

Why can't the 'TSA was here' note they leave in the bag after inspection include the inspectors badge number or employee number? I've asked that question and was told it would be a logistical nightmare.

If the people who inspected my new underwear can manage it, why can't the TSA?

The cost involved in printing personalized 'I was here' cards/slips

Call it a stimulus plan and then the cost is no object.

The TSA doesn't need more stimulating just sedating

It would be simple enough for the TSAer to write his/her name on the card, but that would lead to accountability, and the TSA wants nothing to do with that nonsense.

It would be simple for the honest TSAer to write his/her name on the card, just as it would be simple for the dishonest TSAer (c.f. those who sell other people's cameras on e-Bay) to write someone else's name on the card, or a random squiggle, or say "someone else put my name on this card" or "forget" to write their name or "forget" to put the card in that bag that had the camera or ...

And even with a name on the card, TSA can still say "the baggage handlers did it" and the airline can still say "TSA did it" and there's no resolution.

Let the pax lock bags properly and inspect bags with the pax present. This would mean rearranging a lot of airports, but just do it! In (rare) cases where that's truly not possible, install proper security cameras, actually turned on, and make the recordings available when there's a complaint.

I've worked in a military contracting facility and everyone there was issued a self-inking stamp. Any worked I performed was documented with my personalized stamp.

It's a shame that a concept like that is too complicated for the TSA. If they implemented rules that curbed the vigilantism and unaccountability (and actually made sense) maybe the public's attitude toward them would change.