Yes, I agree it is hard to distinguish TSA screeners from actual law enforcement officers, but that is apparently the intention of the TSA.
After all, why else are TSA screeners wearing law-enforcement-style uniforms complete with badges, if not to make people infer that they ARE law enforcement?
So to recap, it appears that TSA intentionally tries to impersonate law enforcement officers, but then claims innocence when people confuse them with actual law enforcement.
October 4, 2012 4:29 PM
Anonymous said...
Since you are acknowledging that the camera WAS taken from the passenger and are specifically asserting that it was NOT a TSA person, how exactly did you come to this conclusion? Any supporting documentation? Any statements as to who exactly took the camera?
October 4, 2012 4:33 PM
Anonymous said...
If that person isn't TSA, then who are they? The following video is allegedly from the same passenger.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FL36COSE0gs
According to the description, this is prior to the video you have linked on your blog. It looks like the TSA is trying to get him to stop recording, which goes against your policy.
Perhaps TSA shouldn't dress their employees up in fake cop uniforms with fake cop badges. Ever think of that TSA?
That said there many other videos showing TSA employees telling people they cannot film anything at a checkpoint.
How many of these do you need me to post to prove the point?
Teach TSA screeners that video is not against TSA policy, then we can talk.
October 4, 2012 4:50 PM
Anonymous said...
Hey, that's comforting. TSA has the undercover cops steal the cameras and delete footage, when people photograph them. They recruit someone else to do their dirty work. That is so much better! Now I feel so much safer.
October 4, 2012 5:38 PM
Sandra said...
Good job of moving the IPad theft thread down the page, Bob!
What a waste.
October 4, 2012 5:45 PM
Anonymous said...
Can you please comment about THIS recent incident?
@RB: "Perhaps TSA shouldn't dress their employees up in fake cop uniforms with fake cop badges".
-Perhaps you should realize that not every TSA employee wants to wear the badge and the uniform, did you ever think of that? TSA employees' have proposed to change the uniform look, but it takes time. Know your facts before pointing the finger.
For those who have posted about TSA uniforms, you really should get in touch with reality: First, TSA uniforms ARE distiguishable, especially if you can READ. Secondly, most all security officers, in any field, wear some type of professional uniform that conveys an added measure of security, even at local grocery store or movie theatres. TSA officers are there to provide security and help ensure the safety of passengers. Would you rather them wear slacks and a t-shirt, so that when you NEED to find one, you won't know who to go to? Also, they wear their names, so if there IS a problem, then you should be able to report that individual by name. You can also ask for a supervisor on the spot. C'mon folks, lets be reasonable.
October 4, 2012 10:40 PM
Anonymous said...
Mr Bob, as a TSA employee, you are entitled to your own tin badge and your own blue latex gloves, but you are not entitled to make up your own facts.
October 4, 2012 11:42 PM
Anonymous said...
What's your excuse for this incident, Bob?
http://www.presstv.com/usdetail/264925.html "A former TSA worker has pleaded guilty to stealing over $500 in cash from a man who complained about the TSA’s invasive pat down procedure, with the TSA agent admitting the theft was a punishment for the man’s lack of obedience."
"An 87-year-old widow, Rosemary Fecteau, was selected for a pat-down when the full body scanner detected her colostomy bag. The TSA screener, who claimed he had never heard of of a colostomy bag, threatened Fecteau with a $10,000 fine and forced her to empty the contents onto a table in front of hundreds of horrified passengers. He then berated her: “Why didn’t you tell me the bag was full of crap?”"
Anonymous said... @RB: "Perhaps TSA shouldn't dress their employees up in fake cop uniforms with fake cop badges".
-Perhaps you should realize that not every TSA employee wants to wear the badge and the uniform, did you ever think of that? TSA employees' have proposed to change the uniform look, but it takes time. Know your facts before pointing the finger.
October 4, 2012 10:00 PM
............................. Know the facts before pointing finger.
OK, TSA does in fact dress TSA employees up in fake cop uniforms.
TSA does in fact dress its employees up with a fake cop badge.
Where are these facts wrong?
The problem is that TSA employees keep putting this uniform on instead of getting an honest job.
October 9, 2012 7:12 AM
Anonymous said...
RB said... "We all need to remember that when TSA says they didn't do something the actual truth of the matter is more likely a bit different."
Are you making stuff up again RB? Even the source you linked to is calling that fake.
Anonymous said... RB said... "We all need to remember that when TSA says they didn't do something the actual truth of the matter is more likely a bit different."
Are you making stuff up again RB? Even the source you linked to is calling that fake.
October 9, 2012 1:46 PM ..............
I don't see the source linked to calling that fake.
Please copy that text back here so we can see what you are reading.
October 10, 2012 8:24 AM
Anonymous said...
RB said... "I don't see the source linked to calling that fake.
Please copy that text back here so we can see what you are reading. "
The source of the report comes from TSA agent forces elderly woman to empty colostomy bag which is a “satirical website” . Your linked source has made a correction by lining out what you posted and quoted. It is fake RB. It’s made up. Not true. TSA news blog is not a good source for information.
Anonymous said... RB said... "I don't see the source linked to calling that fake.
Please copy that text back here so we can see what you are reading. "
The source of the report comes from TSA agent forces elderly woman to empty colostomy bag which is a “satirical website” . Your linked source has made a correction by lining out what you posted and quoted. It is fake RB. It’s made up. Not true. TSA news blog is not a good source for information.
October 10, 2012 1:32 PM ......................
The account may not be true in this case but the problem remains, given TSA and its employees history and past performance it rings true.
TSA is the most distrusted bunch of people in the history of America.
TSA has worked hard to earn the title and should wear it with pride.
October 12, 2012 11:28 AM
TSM said...
RB; WOW! So glad you are up on your sources! You do realize that the source you quoted (TSAnews) took its source material from the "Dead Serious" newsite which is a complete fabrication? Just for example, these are the other headlines on the site;
“Anatomically correct” Steve Jobs action figure to go on sale
“Teblowing” gaining popularity among Christians
California body farm to market premium top soil
Merriam-Webster adds ‘Santorum’ to its dictionary
RB, I'm afraid you just blew all your future crdibility out of the water. I guess in your zeal to bash the TSA you forgot something as simple as checking sources. That's what happens when you spend so much time on the internet (after all, you are on the TSA site every single day) and don't get out into the "real" world.
October 12, 2012 2:06 PM
Anonymous said...
From the NewsSite's own Homepage:
"About Dead Serious News is a satirical website that is updated on an irregular basis. With the exception of the names of public figures, all names are fictional."
Poor RB. The internet has been proven to lie. What will he do now?
Alan Powell said... "For those who have posted about TSA uniforms, you really should get in touch with reality: First, TSA uniforms ARE distiguishable, especially if you can READ. "
The uniforms would, however, fail a "moron in a hurry" test.
"Secondly, most all security officers, in any field, wear some type of professional uniform that conveys an added measure of security, even at local grocery store or movie theatres."
Nice examples. Every "security" I've seen in either of these locations has been an off-duty cop, in an actual police uniform. So yeah, they're gonna dress like cops because they ARE cops.
" TSA officers are there to provide security and help ensure the safety of passengers."
Then they're doing worse than their detractors would suggest, as they do neither.
"Would you rather them wear slacks and a t-shirt, so that when you NEED to find one, you won't know who to go to?"
Why would you need to find one? Unless you're reporting an actual terrorist to them, as they seem to have trouble finding any.
"Also, they wear their names, so if there IS a problem, then you should be able to report that individual by name. You can also ask for a supervisor on the spot."
Many hide their badges, and as the TSO who posted about respectfully performing her duties of sexual assault against passengers who are not properly "humbled" pointed out, TSA supervisors often times simply side with their agent with no investigation whatsoever.
"C'mon folks, lets be reasonable."
Reasonable would be putting TSA leadership in jail. I suspect your definition of "reasonable" is different than mine ;)
Did the TSA do an investigation into who that individual was? Are there airport security staff members that are separate from TSA officers? This is probably very confusing for the general public and it would be great if there was some education for people on how to distinguish the two.
Anonymous said... @RB: "Perhaps TSA shouldn't dress their employees up in fake cop uniforms with fake cop badges".
-Perhaps you should realize that not every TSA employee wants to wear the badge and the uniform, did you ever think of that? TSA employees' have proposed to change the uniform look, but it takes time. Know your facts before pointing the finger.
No one said that all the front-line employees wanted to wear fake cop uniforms. That does not change the fact that TSA leadership wants them on the front-line employees, presumable to give the illusion that TSAgents are, indeed, cops. Quit misrepresenting others' arguments in order to appear to win them.
Has the TSA investigated and found out who the culprit was? There should be clear guidelines and obvious differences between TSA staff and other staff for the benefit of all. Would be interesting to see who that was in the footage.
TSM said... RB; WOW! So glad you are up on your sources! You do realize that the source you quoted (TSAnews) took its source material from the "Dead Serious" newsite which is a complete fabrication? Just for example, these are the other headlines on the site;
“Anatomically correct” Steve Jobs action figure to go on sale
“Teblowing” gaining popularity among Christians
California body farm to market premium top soil
Merriam-Webster adds ‘Santorum’ to its dictionary
RB, I'm afraid you just blew all your future crdibility out of the water. I guess in your zeal to bash the TSA you forgot something as simple as checking sources. That's what happens when you spend so much time on the internet (after all, you are on the TSA site every single day) and don't get out into the "real" world.
October 12, 2012 2:06 PM ___________________________________
Well TSM I guess getting something wrong is not ok unless you work for TSA where "Wrong" is TSA SOP.
Then being a TSM yourself I'm sure your proud of your fellow TSM‘s, like the one up in Philadelphia, who has been in the news. Are you proud of that TSA guy TSM?
And let us not forget the criminals who infest TSA, how many have to be caught before TSA takes some positive action TSM?
Or how about the civil rights violations that you and your co-workers keep committing, like questioning a guy over checks and cash collected at a political event, or a lady with checks in her purse and TSA gets all excited, the Strip Searches of old ladies at JFK, a TSM who stood by while doing nothing while other TSA employees held a woman hostage over breast milk, and don't forget the TSA Mexicutioners. Yeah, you pointing fingers is a laugh.
While we are on the subject, just what does "Resistance" mean? Does it mean that you TSA employees feel peoples genitals? Where is that disclosure?
How many times do you and your TSA co-workers get to be wrong without some serious corrective action TSM?
You TSA employees are a fricking joke and some strong legal action against TSA employees needs to be taking place because a bunch of you belong in jail.
As far as how I utilize my time I don't think it is any concern of yours. Is it part of your duties to monitor my time and activities TSM?
Don't you violate enough people without stooping to that too?
When you can tell me that TSA has removed all the perverts, thugs, and thieves from TSA you get back to me, then we may have something to talk about.
Screen shot taken.
Free Speech is a Constitutional Right!
Blogger Bob would not post this item as originally written because I referenced a senior TSA employees past work. The material in no way violated the illegal posting standards of this taxpayer funded government blog and constitutes a civil rights violation against the author. Do not expect TSA to honor or abide by the United States Constitution, TSA is appparently above the law of the land.
If you are not aware of this TSA employees prior history I would suggest being very alert to anything going on at all TSA checkpoints in Philadelphia.
October 17, 2012 10:46 AM
Anonymous said...
Uh oh, RB's getting riled! Must hate being wrong so often.
I like the new lay-out of TSA! It’s very fresh and well-structured compared to the previous platform. Improving the website just came right in time. Congratulations guys for the job well done and please continue posting awesome articles!
October 18, 2012 9:10 PM
A story
has been in the news this week about a passenger who alleged that a TSA officer
confiscated his camera and deleted the footage. While TSA understands it’s hard
at times to distinguish our officers from law enforcement or other officials,
the person who took the camera from the passenger in Puerto Rico was not a TSA
employee. TSA did not tamper with the camera or erase any of its content. Additionally,
the individual that appears in the video
being circulated is not a TSA employee.
For your
review, our photo policy is located on our blog
as well as at TSA.gov.
Bob BurnsTSA
Blog Team If you have a travel
related issue or question that needs an immediate answer, you can contact us by
clicking here.
posted by Bob Burns (TSA Blog Team) at 3:51 PM on Oct 4, 2012
"Camera Incident in Puerto Rico: Not TSA"
27 Comments -
Yes, I agree it is hard to distinguish TSA screeners from actual law enforcement officers, but that is apparently the intention of the TSA.
After all, why else are TSA screeners wearing law-enforcement-style uniforms complete with badges, if not to make people infer that they ARE law enforcement?
So to recap, it appears that TSA intentionally tries to impersonate law enforcement officers, but then claims innocence when people confuse them with actual law enforcement.
October 4, 2012 4:29 PM
Since you are acknowledging that the camera WAS taken from the passenger and are specifically asserting that it was NOT a TSA person, how exactly did you come to this conclusion? Any supporting documentation? Any statements as to who exactly took the camera?
October 4, 2012 4:33 PM
If that person isn't TSA, then who are they? The following video is allegedly from the same passenger.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FL36COSE0gs
According to the description, this is prior to the video you have linked on your blog. It looks like the TSA is trying to get him to stop recording, which goes against your policy.
October 4, 2012 4:35 PM
You know everyone will make it TSA fault anyway.
October 4, 2012 4:39 PM
Perhaps TSA shouldn't dress their employees up in fake cop uniforms with fake cop badges. Ever think of that TSA?
That said there many other videos showing TSA employees telling people they cannot film anything at a checkpoint.
How many of these do you need me to post to prove the point?
Teach TSA screeners that video is not against TSA policy, then we can talk.
October 4, 2012 4:50 PM
Hey, that's comforting. TSA has the
undercover cops steal the cameras
and delete footage, when
people photograph them.
They recruit someone else to
do their dirty work.
That is so much better!
Now I feel so much safer.
October 4, 2012 5:38 PM
Good job of moving the IPad theft thread down the page, Bob!
What a waste.
October 4, 2012 5:45 PM
Can you please comment about THIS recent incident?
http://www.pixiq.com/article/tsa-detains-pinac-reader-for-recording-checkpoint
October 4, 2012 6:23 PM
@RB: "Perhaps TSA shouldn't dress their employees up in fake cop uniforms with fake cop badges".
-Perhaps you should realize that not every TSA employee wants to wear the badge and the uniform, did you ever think of that? TSA employees' have proposed to change the uniform look, but it takes time. Know your facts before pointing the finger.
October 4, 2012 10:00 PM
For those who have posted about TSA uniforms, you really should get in touch with reality: First, TSA uniforms ARE distiguishable, especially if you can READ. Secondly, most all security officers, in any field, wear some type of professional uniform that conveys an added measure of security, even at local grocery store or movie theatres. TSA officers are there to provide security and help ensure the safety of passengers. Would you rather them wear slacks and a t-shirt, so that when you NEED to find one, you won't know who to go to? Also, they wear their names, so if there IS a problem, then you should be able to report that individual by name. You can also ask for a supervisor on the spot. C'mon folks, lets be reasonable.
October 4, 2012 10:40 PM
Mr Bob, as a TSA employee, you are entitled to your own tin badge and your own blue latex gloves, but you are not entitled to make up your own facts.
October 4, 2012 11:42 PM
What's your excuse for this incident, Bob?
http://www.presstv.com/usdetail/264925.html
"A former TSA worker has pleaded guilty to stealing over $500 in cash from a man who complained about the TSA’s invasive pat down procedure, with the TSA agent admitting the theft was a punishment for the man’s lack of obedience."
October 5, 2012 6:58 AM
We all need to remember that when TSA says they didn't do something the actual truth of the matter is more likely a bit different.
TSA’s disability and multicultural problem
"An 87-year-old widow, Rosemary Fecteau, was selected for a pat-down when the full body scanner detected her colostomy bag. The TSA screener, who claimed he had never heard of of a colostomy bag, threatened Fecteau with a $10,000 fine and forced her to empty the contents onto a table in front of hundreds of horrified passengers. He then berated her: “Why didn’t you tell me the bag was full of crap?”"
October 5, 2012 10:47 AM
Anonymous said...
@RB: "Perhaps TSA shouldn't dress their employees up in fake cop uniforms with fake cop badges".
-Perhaps you should realize that not every TSA employee wants to wear the badge and the uniform, did you ever think of that? TSA employees' have proposed to change the uniform look, but it takes time. Know your facts before pointing the finger.
October 4, 2012 10:00 PM
.............................
Know the facts before pointing finger.
OK, TSA does in fact dress TSA employees up in fake cop uniforms.
TSA does in fact dress its employees up with a fake cop badge.
Where are these facts wrong?
The problem is that TSA employees keep putting this uniform on instead of getting an honest job.
October 9, 2012 7:12 AM
RB said...
"We all need to remember that when TSA says they didn't do something the actual truth of the matter is more likely a bit different."
Are you making stuff up again RB? Even the source you linked to is calling that fake.
October 9, 2012 1:46 PM
Anonymous said...
RB said...
"We all need to remember that when TSA says they didn't do something the actual truth of the matter is more likely a bit different."
Are you making stuff up again RB? Even the source you linked to is calling that fake.
October 9, 2012 1:46 PM
..............
I don't see the source linked to calling that fake.
Please copy that text back here so we can see what you are reading.
October 10, 2012 8:24 AM
RB said...
"I don't see the source linked to calling that fake.
Please copy that text back here so we can see what you are reading.
"
The source of the report comes from TSA agent forces elderly woman to empty colostomy bag which is a “satirical website” . Your linked source has made a correction by lining out what you posted and quoted. It is fake RB. It’s made up. Not true. TSA news blog is not a good source for information.
October 10, 2012 1:32 PM
Anonymous said...
RB said...
"I don't see the source linked to calling that fake.
Please copy that text back here so we can see what you are reading.
"
The source of the report comes from TSA agent forces elderly woman to empty colostomy bag which is a “satirical website” . Your linked source has made a correction by lining out what you posted and quoted. It is fake RB. It’s made up. Not true. TSA news blog is not a good source for information.
October 10, 2012 1:32 PM
......................
The account may not be true in this case but the problem remains, given TSA and its employees history and past performance it rings true.
TSA is the most distrusted bunch of people in the history of America.
TSA has worked hard to earn the title and should wear it with pride.
October 12, 2012 11:28 AM
RB;
WOW! So glad you are up on your sources! You do realize that the source you quoted (TSAnews) took its source material from the "Dead Serious" newsite which is a complete fabrication? Just for example, these are the other headlines on the site;
Recent News
Cash-strapped Greek animal shelter lets online users kill animals
Tebow: Jesus gave me a donkey punch
“Anatomically correct” Steve Jobs action figure to go on sale
“Teblowing” gaining popularity among Christians
California body farm to market premium top soil
Merriam-Webster adds ‘Santorum’ to its dictionary
RB, I'm afraid you just blew all your future crdibility out of the water. I guess in your zeal to bash the TSA you forgot something as simple as checking sources. That's what happens when you spend so much time on the internet (after all, you are on the TSA site every single day) and don't get out into the "real" world.
October 12, 2012 2:06 PM
From the NewsSite's own Homepage:
"About
Dead Serious News is a satirical website that is updated on an irregular basis. With the exception of the names of public figures, all names are fictional."
Poor RB. The internet has been proven to lie. What will he do now?
October 12, 2012 2:09 PM
Alan Powell said...
"For those who have posted about TSA uniforms, you really should get in touch with reality: First, TSA uniforms ARE distiguishable, especially if you can READ. "
The uniforms would, however, fail a "moron in a hurry" test.
"Secondly, most all security officers, in any field, wear some type of professional uniform that conveys an added measure of security, even at local grocery store or movie theatres."
Nice examples. Every "security" I've seen in either of these locations has been an off-duty cop, in an actual police uniform. So yeah, they're gonna dress like cops because they ARE cops.
" TSA officers are there to provide security and help ensure the safety of passengers."
Then they're doing worse than their detractors would suggest, as they do neither.
"Would you rather them wear slacks and a t-shirt, so that when you NEED to find one, you won't know who to go to?"
Why would you need to find one? Unless you're reporting an actual terrorist to them, as they seem to have trouble finding any.
"Also, they wear their names, so if there IS a problem, then you should be able to report that individual by name. You can also ask for a supervisor on the spot."
Many hide their badges, and as the TSO who posted about respectfully performing her duties of sexual assault against passengers who are not properly "humbled" pointed out, TSA supervisors often times simply side with their agent with no investigation whatsoever.
"C'mon folks, lets be reasonable."
Reasonable would be putting TSA leadership in jail. I suspect your definition of "reasonable" is different than mine ;)
October 12, 2012 5:37 PM
Did the TSA do an investigation into who that individual was? Are there airport security staff members that are separate from TSA officers? This is probably very confusing for the general public and it would be great if there was some education for people on how to distinguish the two.
October 14, 2012 1:14 AM
Anonymous said...
@RB: "Perhaps TSA shouldn't dress their employees up in fake cop uniforms with fake cop badges".
-Perhaps you should realize that not every TSA employee wants to wear the badge and the uniform, did you ever think of that? TSA employees' have proposed to change the uniform look, but it takes time. Know your facts before pointing the finger.
No one said that all the front-line employees wanted to wear fake cop uniforms. That does not change the fact that TSA leadership wants them on the front-line employees, presumable to give the illusion that TSAgents are, indeed, cops. Quit misrepresenting others' arguments in order to appear to win them.
October 15, 2012 11:35 AM
Has the TSA investigated and found out who the culprit was? There should be clear guidelines and obvious differences between TSA staff and other staff for the benefit of all. Would be interesting to see who that was in the footage.
October 16, 2012 2:59 AM
TSM said...
RB;
WOW! So glad you are up on your sources! You do realize that the source you quoted (TSAnews) took its source material from the "Dead Serious" newsite which is a complete fabrication? Just for example, these are the other headlines on the site;
Recent News
Cash-strapped Greek animal shelter lets online users kill animals
Tebow: Jesus gave me a donkey punch
“Anatomically correct” Steve Jobs action figure to go on sale
“Teblowing” gaining popularity among Christians
California body farm to market premium top soil
Merriam-Webster adds ‘Santorum’ to its dictionary
RB, I'm afraid you just blew all your future crdibility out of the water. I guess in your zeal to bash the TSA you forgot something as simple as checking sources. That's what happens when you spend so much time on the internet (after all, you are on the TSA site every single day) and don't get out into the "real" world.
October 12, 2012 2:06 PM
___________________________________
Well TSM I guess getting something wrong is not ok unless you work for TSA where "Wrong" is TSA SOP.
Airport Insecurity: TSA’s Failure to Cost-Effectively Procure, Deploy and Warehouse its Screening Technologies
Then being a TSM yourself I'm sure your proud of your fellow TSM‘s, like the one up in Philadelphia, who has been in the news. Are you proud of that TSA guy TSM?
And let us not forget the criminals who infest TSA, how many have to be caught before TSA takes some positive action TSM?
Or how about the civil rights violations that you and your co-workers keep committing, like questioning a guy over checks and cash collected at a political event, or a lady with checks in her purse and TSA gets all excited, the Strip Searches of old ladies at JFK, a TSM who stood by while doing nothing while other TSA employees held a woman hostage over breast milk, and don't forget the TSA Mexicutioners. Yeah, you pointing fingers is a laugh.
While we are on the subject, just what does "Resistance" mean? Does it mean that you TSA employees feel peoples genitals? Where is that disclosure?
How many times do you and your TSA co-workers get to be wrong without some serious corrective action TSM?
You TSA employees are a fricking joke and some strong legal action against TSA employees needs to be taking place because a bunch of you belong in jail.
As far as how I utilize my time I don't think it is any concern of yours. Is it part of your duties to monitor my time and activities TSM?
Don't you violate enough people without stooping to that too?
When you can tell me that TSA has removed all the perverts, thugs, and thieves from TSA you get back to me, then we may have something to talk about.
Screen shot taken.
Free Speech is a Constitutional Right!
Blogger Bob would not post this item as originally written because I referenced a senior TSA employees past work. The material in no way violated the illegal posting standards of this taxpayer funded government blog and constitutes a civil rights violation against the author. Do not expect TSA to honor or abide by the United States Constitution, TSA is appparently above the law of the land.
If you are not aware of this TSA employees prior history I would suggest being very alert to anything going on at all TSA checkpoints in Philadelphia.
October 17, 2012 10:46 AM
Uh oh, RB's getting riled!
Must hate being wrong so often.
October 18, 2012 11:10 AM
I like the new lay-out of TSA! It’s very fresh and well-structured compared to the previous platform. Improving the website just came right in time. Congratulations guys for the job well done and please continue posting awesome articles!
October 18, 2012 9:10 PM