Post a Comment On: The TSA Blog

"...between May 1, 2003 through September 2012, a total of 381 TSOs have been terminated for theft,... (0.4%) of officers... "

These are only the ones who got caught.

September 28, 2012 4:00 PM

half of one percent? Did you watch the video!? Put two and two together and you will realize you aren't firing enough!

September 28, 2012 4:02 PM

And yet, when you insist on keeping an eye on your carryon while being "special screened" the TSA officers get an attitude about it.

September 28, 2012 4:03 PM

Between May 1, 2003 and September 2012 hundreds 100,s) of millions of people have traveled by air and TSA has not found one terrorist yet ABC found a TSA thief in just 10 tries. Kinda disputes your numbers, eh?

What's the percentage on "TSA Found
Terrorist" Bob?

And as they say one bad apple rots the whole barrel and TSA's barrel is so rotten it stinks!

September 28, 2012 4:12 PM

ZOMG! A post with actual information! And information that is relevant to the topic!

1 - Report of theft....
2 - Investigation....
3 - "The Officer is no longer with TSA."

Thank you Blogger Bob! We were beginning to think it was impossible for you to post anything that was actually factual about your organization.

September 28, 2012 4:13 PM

To put terrorism in perspective, between 2001 and 2012, a total of 19 passengers have successfully attacked American planes, which represents roughly 0.0000002% of all passengers who have traversed US airport checkpoints. This extremely small percentage does not reflect the peacefulness of the flying public as a whole.

Yet TSOs continue to treat every passenger as a potential terrorist, and you, Bob, continue to treat each knife discovered as though it were a threat to this nation's very existence.

Therefore, I shall continue to treat each TSO I encounter as a potential thief.

Let me add as well that your agency's employees all undergo background checks before being hired, and your agency employs hundreds of BDOs who are supposed to be able to ferret out ill-intent among passengers.

If you cannot keep your own employees in line, why should we have any faith in your agency's ability to secure the nation's airspace?

Sorry, Bob, you cannot have it both ways.

I also suggest you read some of the comments here --

https://www.facebook.com/YourTsaExperiences

It sure seems like a lot of passengers are running into these few bad apples that exist in the agency.

[Screenshot captured.]

September 28, 2012 4:30 PM

I agree, as a former USSS employee, and a criminologist at heart, in any large group there will be a few bad apples.

TSA to date seems to have done the only thing an agency can do, and that is to remove the bad apples as they are found. I do worry about how the Union contract will effect this policy.

Rich Roth

September 28, 2012 4:39 PM

Bob, that's not a small percentage. That's what, one in about 200 agents are fired for theft? I'm an airline pilot, we have 3000 pilots at my airline, I've never heard of any ever being fired for stealing. Just saying, your analogy that it's an extremely low percentage of crooks working on the front lines at TSA because only one in two hundred have been fired (who knows how many have not been caught?) is not really the route I would have gone if I were you.

September 28, 2012 4:43 PM

To put terrorism by Americans at U.S. airports in perspective, between the founding of the TSA (and even before)through September 2012, a total of 0 American terrorists have attempted an attack on an airplane, which represents zero percent (0.0%) of Americans traversing the checkpoint. Despite this, the TSA does not understand that this extremely small percentage does not reflect on the innocence of the traveling public as a whole, and continues to violate us, day in and day out.

We're infinitely more likely to be harmed by the TSA than a terrorist.

September 28, 2012 4:43 PM

You know what Bob, until TSA puts tags on TSOs to identify which are bad and which are good I'll consider all TSOs as criminals who wear a uniform. I feel this is only fair because every TSO I have ever had the misfortune to deal with has treated me as if I were a criminal and has shown nothing but disrespect and aggorance toward me. How does it go....What's good for the goose is good for the gander.......

September 28, 2012 4:50 PM

Wow. So over 100 people a month are terminated for theft. If your success rate of capturing TSA theives is as bad as your success rate for catching terrorists then that mean there are 100s and 100s more that are still stealing our property. I travel a lot and it's almost impossible to get the TSA agent to keep my bags visible during a screening. They force you to stand out of the way and wait.

September 28, 2012 4:54 PM

With all due respect to the relative low numbers of TSA officers terminated for theft, this number should be compared to other police agencies. For example, how many police officers (and related percentage), say in the state of Ohio have been terminated for theft in the same period?

September 28, 2012 5:01 PM

With all due respect to the relative low numbers of TSA officers terminated for theft, this number should be compared to other police agencies. For example, how many police officers (and related percentage), say in the state of Ohio have been terminated for theft in the same period?

September 28, 2012 5:04 PM

Amazing how selectively you use numbers when it covers your own hindquarters, but not when it would benefit passengers or expose the pointlessness of your screening methods. For instance, 0% of shoes you've x-rayed since 2006 have contained explosives, and 0% of the liquids you've forced people to dispose of have been dangerous, and 0% of your invasive and untested and dangerous body scanners have found genuine threats to aviation.

September 28, 2012 5:04 PM

"To put theft at TSA in perspective, between May 1, 2003 through September 2012, a total of 381 TSOs have been terminated for theft, which represents less than 1/2 of one percent (0.4%) of officers that have been employed by the agency."

As others have pointed out, a vastly higher percentage than the percentage of passengers who are terrorists.

September 28, 2012 5:06 PM

381 is the number fired for theft. That percentage jumps significantly higher when you include the total number fired for ALL types of criminmal conduct such as sex crimes, smuggling, assault, DUI and the list goes on. The TSA knows this and undoubtedly left that real percentage out when Bob posted this article. Should you (the TSA) tell the public what that percentage is? Or should the public urge ABC news to post it in a follow-up story?

September 28, 2012 5:14 PM

Bob,

Thank you for the timely response to the thefts! It doesn't go unnoticed.

Randy -- noimnotashill

September 28, 2012 5:20 PM

Huh, couldn't post this after the "things we would have caught with metal detectors" post so it would show up first, huh?

I'm sure some TSA employees are honest, but based upon ABC's http://www.facebook.com/YourTsaExperiences, there are many TSA workers who mistreat and steal from American citizens.

How is the TSA dealing with them?

September 28, 2012 5:24 PM

Your whole agency exists because of small percentages. To be specific, the infinitesimally small percentage that an airplane will be the target of a terrorist attack.

You cannot dismiss the "small" percent of thieving screeners (that have been caught) while groping and scanning the traveling public based on the significantly smaller likelihood that they would do harm.

In short, do you believe that a group should be treated a certain way due to the actions of a few?

(I do not truly expect you to answer this. You never answer difficult questions)

September 28, 2012 5:35 PM

Bob, it is irrelevant that the TSA has a zero-tolerance policy towards thefts. Nearly 400 TSOs have been charged with theft and dismissed, and we do not know how many more have actually stolen items but have not been caught.

What steps has the TSA put in place to assure travelers that there are no more thieves among the TSA ranks? Are TSOs and their belongings screened when they show up for work and when they leave?

Without such assurances, a mere statement of "zero-tolerance" will not put an end to the belief that any TSO a passenger encounters is potentially a thief looking for personal gain more than looking out for passengers' well-being.

Of course, Bob, we all know you will not divulge such details, and the hatred more and more Americans are feeling towards your agency will continue to magnify as the months go on.

Have a nice weekend.

September 28, 2012 5:47 PM

"This extremely small percentage does not reflect the dedication and professionalism of our workforce as a whole." - Bob
Of course it doesn't, since only a small percentage of your TSOs (perhaps 1/2 of one percent) are actually dedicated and professional.

September 28, 2012 5:58 PM

Zero tolerance policy on theft yes! But 381 employees have been terminated. And that's less than half of 1% but that's still far too many for a government represented agency!!! Especially one with the word 'Security' in their name! And sporting law enforcement badges!! I took the test way back when there was a national hiring order for the dept. and scored high enough to be a TSA supervisor, yet my domestic violence conviction that was expunged still disqualified me! So, I have no mercy for the criminals found working for us and disguised as govt. workers!

September 28, 2012 6:19 PM

Bob said:
"To put theft at TSA in perspective, between May 1, 2003 through September 2012, a total of 381 TSOs have been terminated for theft, which represents less than 1/2 of one percent (0.4%) of officers that have been employed by the agency."


Yes - but you realize that those are only the people that have been caught, right? What percentage of TSA agents are actively involved in theft on a daily basis? The one caught by ABC news would never have been caught had it not been for ABC news.

September 28, 2012 6:20 PM

Curtis

So what your admitting to is now that we have a data point that shows that TSA endangers the public more then the "terrorist attack threat".

.4% is alot statistically higher then the risk of a dies in a plane crash as a result of an act of terrorism which is in the range of 1 in a Centillion (thats 303 zeros after the one).

Thanks curtis for clearing up what most people already know.

September 28, 2012 6:34 PM

Dear Robert:
I note with interest your interest in statistics of TSA thieves. I note also of the millions of commercial air travelers in the United States screened by your agency and at least 380 some thieves employed or formerly employed by your agency. This far surpasses the number of would be terrorists/hijackers and neer-do-wells (at best estimate number less than a dozen in tens of millions) that would like to create mischief on an airplane, and that threat largely eliminated by reinforced cockpit doors.

Disband your agency and return aircraft/airline security responsibility to the airlines where it rightfully belongs.

September 28, 2012 6:49 PM

I formerly worked for TSA at a small airport(San Luis Obispo Airport) and luckily, I worked with a group of honest hard working individuals. Sad that a few bad apples can ruin a reputation of a great deal of people.

September 28, 2012 6:52 PM

OK, the TSO is no longer employed. Has he been arrested and charged with theft?

September 28, 2012 7:15 PM

Congressman John Mica thinks this is going to get better by going private and paying employees $10.00 an hour? Give me a break.

September 28, 2012 7:52 PM

Let's put a little perspective on that 0.4% number of TSA thieves who have been caught and fired. (Keep in mind that this is only the number of TSA employees who have been caught AND fired.) Now let's imagine if this was the same rate for neer-do-wells... TSA claims that they have screened over 6,000,000,000 passengers (6 billion) since inception until sometime earlier this year. At the same 0.4% being claimed as something that should be dismissed regarding TSA employees, it would equate to more than 24,000,000 neer-do-wells (24 million). The bad part is that reality tells us that this number is much smaller - and, likely, could be counted on one hand and that's with giving credit to TSA for stops they had nothing to do with (think shoe; underwear). This percentage of passengers would be roughly about 0.0000000333%, many orders of magnitude below the rate of TSA thieves fired for theft.

Simply knowing that, it's hard for me to be too concerned that all of TSA is cast in the same light as who have been those caught - especially since TSA sees all passengers as potential neer-do-wells despite that the odds are significantly less than the odds that a TSA employee would be a thief.

Even if we presume that everyone caught bringing a gun has 'evil' intent, and estimating on the high side - saying roughly 40 guns are found on average each week for a simplified 11 years (40*52*11 = 22880 / 6,000,000,000) is still only 0.0004%. -- three (3) orders of magnitude less than a TSA employee has been fired for theft. Based on that, it would appear that you are roughly 1000 times more likely to have a TSA employee steal from you, get caught, and then fired for that offense than they are to find a gun on a passenger at the checkpoint

September 28, 2012 7:57 PM

"To put theft at TSA in perspective, between May 1, 2003 through September 2012, a total of 381 TSOs have been terminated for theft, which represents less than 1/2 of one percent (0.4%) of officers that have been employed by the agency."

Those are just the ones that have been caught, Bob.

September 28, 2012 8:01 PM

This is making a mountain out of a mole-hill.

Every government agency has some employees that don't follow the rules. Stealing, abuse, even espionage are commonplace in government service. Why target TSA.

At least TSA moves offenders out.

September 28, 2012 8:14 PM

Let's revise a few words and swap passengers and TSA in the post...

We are well too aware of how the actions of a few can influence the perception that TSA has of the public. It’s truly a shame, because the majority of passengers meet the expectations set forth to them - integrity, professionalism and just wanting to get to their destination. The reputation of passengers are adversely affected by instances like the underwear and shoe bombers, where those specific passengers did not display integrity.

To put terroristic activity among passengers in perspective, between May 1, 2003 through September 2012, a total of 2 passengers have been incarcerated for terroristic-type activity, which represents less than 1/2 of one hundred millionth percent (0.0000000333%) of passengers that have been administratively searched by the TSA. This extremely small percentage does not reflect the dedication and professionalism of all passengers as a whole.

...

When TSA starts treating all passengers with the respect that they are due, then perhaps the passengers will respond in kind.

September 28, 2012 8:19 PM

Integrity problem? Oh, yes. The TSA has an integrity problem since it only takes one "somebody screwed up" to erase a thousand "good work" awards. Yet these "somebody screwed up" stories keep appearing. I don't think that cleaning house would help.

September 28, 2012 8:46 PM

Half of one percent is a very high portion.

That also means that if I fly every few weeks, I can expect one of those officers to screen me or my bags at least once a year, and presumably steal from me too.

It also doesn't include the portion of your workforce who have been merely warned or "retrained" for theft.

Finally, I'd point out that your agency makes it nearly impossible to report theft by a TSO and ignores the reports it gets.

September 28, 2012 9:50 PM

I hope each and every thief was tried, convicted and sent to prison. Still, 0.4 per cent of employees being caught stealing isn't high -- in my experience as a banking compliance officer the rate was much higher in the banking industry. It doesn't help that the bonding companies don't always perform a criminal background check before insuring employees for theft anymore (we started performing our own criminal background checks at one credit union I worked for after finding that out the hard way). The rate could always be better but at the TSA rate of thievery your background check system sounds like it is actually working quite well.

September 28, 2012 10:19 PM

381 thefts? Yikes, that's actually quite a bit! I wonder how that compares to the number of thefts done by private airport security pre-9/11?

September 28, 2012 11:15 PM

Blogger Bob said....
"To put theft at TSA in perspective, between May 1, 2003 through September 2012, a total of 381 TSOs have been terminated for theft, which represents less than 1/2 of one percent (0.4%) of officers that have been employed by the agency. "

Or, to put it another way, in just 5 months 0.4% of their screeners were fired for theft.

Now, let's leave aside the fact that that's just the ones they A)caught and B)actually fired (instead of, for instance, 'transferred' or 'retrained'). (When this is taken into account, the actual number of TSA thieves could be significantly higher.)

The TSA has been around for 11 years- or about 132 months. Now, assuming 0.4% of their screeners are fired every 5 months, then 10.56% (One Tenth!) of their screeners would have been fired since they came into existence.

Funny thing- that number (one tenth) is just how many iPads were stolen- 1 out of 10.

Bob- having 1 out of every 10 employees be fired for theft is NOT a record to be proud of.

September 28, 2012 11:53 PM

As a LTSO in Denver, CO DIA, I am greatly sadden to read of theft and I feel even with less than 1/2 of one percent is still to high. Although I do understand that is an extremely low percentage, myself and fellow team mates would like to see a zero percentage. Our face is out front we see the passengers everyday and work very hard to earn their respect! I have work out here for TSA for almost 10 years trying to teach my fellow employees to get respect, kindness and dignity you must give respect, kindness and dignity. Another thing I have told fellow TSA team mate and passengers alike, "If someone does not have a smile give them yours". I always have a smile on my face when I great a passenger and welcome them to our checkpoint.

September 29, 2012 12:55 AM

Well said, I currently work for TSA almost 10 years. I do the work I do to honor my son who could not finish his service to our fine Country when he was murdered and to also honor all those who died on 9/11/01.

September 29, 2012 1:15 AM

Bob, let's assume that 0.4% of current TSOs are potential thieves, based on past performance.

That means that of the roughly two million passengers the TSA screens each day, 8,000 will have their persons and belongings searched by screeners who are more interested in stealing from them than in ensuring their safety. Or put another way, that's around 50 passengers daily at each major airport. Let's put it this way then: at every major airport nationwide, around three passengers per hour will be screened by a TSO who is more interested in theft than in doing his or her job.

That's 8,000 potential breaches because a TSO is not fully focused on their task at hand, keeping weapons off of planes.

0.4% doesn't seem so extremely small now, huh, Bob?

Numbers and statistics are wondrous things, aren't they?

[Screenshot captured.]

September 29, 2012 1:24 AM

I work for TSA and have always greeted passengers with a smile, treated passengers with respect, kindness and dignity. Many who fly through Denver, CO know me by name and look for me just to say hi. I have always told passengers to have a wonderful or lovely day with a smile on my face and I mean it. I learned from my mother who died of cancer this quote "If someone does not have a smile give them yours". If she could do it and mean it with cancer, I can do a it and mean it everyday of my life to honor her! The best part of it all is I make people smile.

September 29, 2012 1:36 AM

I am so sorry to hear everyone talk negatively about TSA. Every where you go have bad people. However, TSA is not the only people who handle your bags at the airport, but TSA gets the blame for everything.
Passengers steal from each other. There were complains about airline crew picking things up that was not theres, Ops that was not stealing, they mistakenly took it up and never returned it until they were asked.
What will be the difference between TSA and a private security company? You and your belongs will still be screened, in the same manner since there are guidelines that must be followed. Will the private company not have bad workers?
Would you preferr to just get on a plane without being screened?
Lets be fear we all have done something wrong in our life? NOBODY IS PERFECT...

September 29, 2012 5:41 AM

Rich Roth said...
I agree, as a former USSS employee, and a criminologist at heart, in any large group there will be a few bad apples.

TSA to date seems to have done the only thing an agency can do, and that is to remove the bad apples as they are found. I do worry about how the Union contract will effect this policy.

Rich Roth

September 28, 2012 4:39 PM

.........................
You really think all TSA can do is to remove the TSA Thieves after they are found?

How about more on-site supervision?

How about screening all airport workers (including TSA) as they enter a work area and again before they depart?

How about effective investigations of passenger filed reports of theft?

Perhaps being a touch proactive instead of just reactive by better help TSA serve the public.

September 29, 2012 7:57 AM

The 400 fired were only the ones who were caught red-handed, not all the screeners ones who robbed passengers. No doubt that thousands remain employed waiting to steal your property.

If TSA was really concerned about theft and abuse, they would not ignore customer complaints and send form letters blaming the passenger when they are robbed. Instead, TSA recites same old lies and “highest standards” baloney after every incident and wait for the issue to blow over while allowing the problem to persist.

For people who travel once a month, that is 24 trips through security. At a one out of ten theft rate, as happened here, they would have their property stolen twice every year.

It is unacceptable for TSA or another other organization to remain unaccountable and treat those who pay for it with contempt.

TSA needs to be replaced with a responsible organization focused on protecting the public instead of preying on them.

September 29, 2012 8:04 AM

Anonymous said...
This is making a mountain out of a mole-hill.

Every government agency has some employees that don't follow the rules. Stealing, abuse, even espionage are commonplace in government service. Why target TSA.

At least TSA moves offenders out.

September 28, 2012 8:14 PM

..........................

TSA at Richmond VA hired a known felon. That doesn't seem to be "TSA moves offenders out" but TSA hiring known thieves and felons.

This is hardly making a mountain out of a molehill.

It only took 10 tries to find a TSA thief. That suggest the problem is much larger than what TSA is willing to own up to and some aggressive action is called for to address this issue. The first step would be to get a TSA Administrator that has a touch of leadership ability. It is clear that John Pistole has failed as TSA Administrator.

September 29, 2012 8:11 AM

Anonymous said...
Integrity problem? Oh, yes. The TSA has an integrity problem since it only takes one "somebody screwed up" to erase a thousand "good work" awards. Yet these "somebody screwed up" stories keep appearing. I don't think that cleaning house would help.


September 28, 2012 8:46 PM

Reports of TSA screw ups are typically answered with the stock "proper procedures were followed" response from TSA.

That answer does not earn much respect for TSA.

September 29, 2012 8:16 AM

Convicted TSA Officer Reveals Secrets of Thefts at Airports

"It was very commonplace, very," said Pythias Brown, a former TSA officer at Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey who admits he stole more than $800,000 worth of items from luggage and security checkpoints over a four-year period.

"It was very convenient to steal," he said.


I don't think the percentage TSA posted fully addresses the scope of the TSA Theft problem.

September 29, 2012 8:31 AM

Anonymous said...
iOr, to put it another way, in just 5 months 0.4% of their screeners were fired for theft. /i

Unlike the TSA, I admit my mistakes.

I misread the year, and thought it was 380+ firings from this year May, not May, 2003. Thus my figures were incorrect.

However, my point (which others have pointed out too) about this being just the ones who were caught and fired for theft still stands.

September 29, 2012 10:11 AM

You really need to do more research. What about all of the guns,knifes, explosives, grenades both live and inert, and let's not forget about the drugs and smuggling of both people and contraband. The tsa is not just about finding terrorists it is about providing security for the traveling public. But let me guess you are one of those people who say there are no american terrorists also? And for that I have to say pick up a paper or something, do the research before you talk.

September 29, 2012 10:20 AM

All I know is that I'm far more likely to get my stuff stolen by the TSA than be killed by a terrorist. I guess I need to treat each TSA screener as if they are a thief. After all, they treat me as if I'm a terrorist. The odds are much better that I will run into a TSA thief before I run into a terrorist.

I see this iPad theft occured at MCO. This is the same airport that missed a gun a woman was carrying. Is the TSA too distracted looking for things to steal or looking out getting caught by ABC to find weapons at that airport?

September 29, 2012 10:22 AM

Bobby--

Has the TSA considered placing a "No thieves, please!" addendum to the pizza-box ads it uses to recruit Transportation Security Officers? I bet that would fix the problem in a jiffy!

Also: Is the TSA cooperating with law enforcement and prosecutors to ensure that ex-TSO Ramirez faces charges for his theft, or does the TSA take the position that firing screeners for 3rd-degree grand theft (a felony in Florida) is sufficient "punishment" for thieving TSOs?

September 29, 2012 10:51 AM

How many teachers, doctors, coaches have been convicted as pedophiles. They must all pedophiles.

How many pilots have wigged out in the cockpit or been caught arriving to work drunk? They must all be drunken lunatics.

How many soldiers have been arrested for theft, rape, pedophilia, etc? They must all be raping and thieving child molesters.

Oh - and the police. They have internal affairs departments just in case, right?

Gotcha. Your logic makes sense to now. It makes sense that many of you are way too biased to ever be taking seriously.

Jim

September 29, 2012 11:01 AM

I just went through the month of September blogs and coounted the # of guns caught by TSA. Just September....124 guns. I didn't coount the other dangerous items, knifes (some are pretty nasty, swords, granades, ETC) 124 guns in a single month. You people who complain don't know what you are talking about. 124 x 12 = 1488 guns a year that your never do anything wrong innocent passengers are tying to get on the plane and blow somebody away are doing. Wake up people! Do you people live your lives under a rock? Turn off the computer and open your eyes to the REAL world. There are a lot of crazy people who would love nothing more than to hurt you. TSA is doing their jobs and are doing a great job protecting my family!

September 29, 2012 11:33 AM

Bob points out that "The Officer is no longer with TSA"

What he fails to point out was that he was fired late in the day, the day before ABC broadcasted the story. These investigative stories are not turned around quickly, and ABC asked for a comment from TSA weeks ago. So, we see clearly that they fired this thief ONLY WHEN TSA SAW THAT IT WAS GOING TO BE A PUBLIC RELATIONS FIASCO, NOT WHEN THE THIEF WAS IDENTIFIED!

If ABC had just told TSA what it found, and not gone public, the man would still be working today. Sad.

September 29, 2012 12:03 PM

Hey Bob,

How many TSA thieves have not been terminated? That is the real question.

September 29, 2012 1:30 PM

I am not surprised by routine reports of theft at the TSA. After all, this is a government agency willing to inappropriately touch and virtually strip search law-abiding Americans at will. I suggest that the TSA leadership stand in an airport security line and hear what frequent travelers like myself really think of the TSA workforce - the label of "thief" is one of the more endearing terms.

September 29, 2012 1:59 PM

Would we all rather not have anyone or anything screened anymore and just take a chance as we had before that we may be killed by terrorists or is it better to just berate TSA. How can any agency eliminate all crime among its employees? TSA already does 10 year background checks, drug testing and thoroughly interviews employees for hiring... how much more do you want?

September 29, 2012 2:14 PM

Bottom line is that there are good and bad people in walks of life. Some people try to be naive of that fact

September 29, 2012 2:15 PM

I agree even though the tsa is relativaly a new agency they are try to ween out all the bad ones but it is impossible. The tsa is in the news all the time due to the bad ones. But if you could imagine if all of the police stories of bad cops were on national news everyday we would have stories and the public would be doing the same thing. Look back at the history of cops and all I have to say is the pinkertons. Even though they turned corupt the system evolved. That is what the tsa is trying to do now with risk based screening. They know that not everyone is bad but they are trying to focus on the select few that could be. But evolution takes time.

September 29, 2012 2:29 PM

As a TSA officer I have to comment on what Anonymous has to say, that all TSA are all bad apples...not so ..I have been there TEN (10) years and have met and know so many honest workers...but as you say you are a PILOT,there are many who of you who fly drunk and never get caught,but that does not take away from having so many good pilots...My child works for a major airlines and sometimes have to take some of the pilots off the aircraft because of alcohol....If it was as you say then all pilots are also BAD APPLES...

September 29, 2012 2:29 PM

If the TSA has "Zero Tolerance" for theft (and presumably also for bribery, drug smuggling, racial profiling, and other misconduct), why is it that such misconduct regularly goes on under the TSA's noses until someone outside the TSA uncovers it?

Unlike the two bribery/drug smuggling operations at LAX and the racial profiling in Boston, this latest misconduct is apparently embarrassing enough to merit a response from Bob. As usual, he defends the TSA by invoking the standards that were violated, and then attempts to minimize the seriousness of the incident by citing an "extremely small percentage" of thieves caught red-handed.

But in his dutiful attempt to spin away one of the TSA's systemic failures, he misses the point completely: If the TSA has "zero tolerance," even 0.4% caught and dismissed over eight years is too much! And that doesn't count what is probably a much larger number of employees whose thefts have not been discovered (by parties outside the TSA).

With this and other posts, Bob is actually telling us that the TSA tolerates all manner of misconduct, as long as it remains hidden behind the agency's curtain of secrecy. The TSA's "zero tolerance" policy only applies when someone sees behind the curtain and reveals the misconduct to the public. Then the TSA scrambles to take defensive action, to ensure that nobody is ever held accountable for the failure.

The real problem is that secrecy and lack of accountability invite abuse, fraud, incompetence, and criminal conduct such as theft and bribery. Secrecy and evasion of accountability are the TSA's Fundamental Operating Principals. So the fact that even a small number of TSA employees are regularly caught committing crimes (sometimes lengthy operations, such as the drug smuggling and bribery) indicates a systemic failure of management that creates an environment where misconduct is regularly allowed to occur. But as the TSA insists on pretending it is infallible, their leadership won't even acknowledge that their culture has a serious flaw, let alone correct anything.

Bob is right when he says that "[t]he reputation of TSA is adversely affected by instances like this one, where employees do not display integrity." Bob certainly should know how often "instances like this one" occur, as he is regularly called on to defend his agency when an "instance like this one" is embarrassing enough to require his unique brand of spin and evasion.

"The reputation of TSA" has been "adversely affected" so many times that it is effectively nonexistent. As he notes, although many TSA employees have "integrity, professionalism and hard work," there are enough who lack those qualities to make anyone who flies fear for the safety of their belongings. The fact that we continue to regularly encounter "bad apples" at airport checkpoints can only compel the conclusion that the TSA has plenty of tolerance for them.

I know that Bob did his duty with this post. And I'll give him credit for finally giving an example of a case where the officer was not found to have acted properly. But his attempts to spin away the systemic failures that allow "instances like this one" to occur regularly only reinforce the horrible perception the public has of the TSA.

September 29, 2012 3:02 PM

@ltsolady: Another thing I have told fellow TSA team mate and passengers alike, "If someone does not have a smile give them yours". I always have a smile on my face when I great a passenger and welcome them to our checkpoint.

I'll take you at your word.

But in my experience, the "fellow TSA team mates" who snarl and bellow at me and the other presumed-terrorists standing shoeless at their checkpoints greatly outnumber the ones who welcome me with a smile.

My informal estimate is that it takes 100 of your welcoming smiles to overcome one "Do your want to fly today?" from an arrogant petty tyrant intent on reminding me that flying is a privilege granted according to his whims.

You might genuinely want to earn passengers' respect. But from everything I've seen, your bosses are proud of leading an agency that passengers despise.

September 29, 2012 3:15 PM

In regards to Jim at 11:01 am on Sep 29: How many passengers have been convicted as terrorist? They must all be terrorists. --- Same logic that you imply we are using against the TSA -- is the same logic that TSA has been using since their inception. Since this is the apparent logic TSA uses against the passengers, then you and they should expect it will be turned around and used against you and them.

In regards to the number of guns found each week by Anon posted at 11:33 am on Sep 29:
... Per the TSA, there are approximately 2,000,000 passengers that fly each day in the US. Even if we go high and say an average of 40 guns are found in one week, that is still less than 0.0003% of the passengers -- or 3 orders of magnitude (i.e. 1,000 times) less than a TSA employee is caught and fired for stealing. And if you really think all those passengers discovered with a gun "are trying to get on the plane and blow somebody away", I'm seriously curious how you manage to leave your house each day where you likely pass quite a few people who conceal carry and amazingly are able to control the urge to "blow someone away".

September 29, 2012 6:48 PM

Is the "officer" in jail? Or just fired. Andit's 1/2 of 1% of "anyone that has ever worked for the TSA." What's the percentage of current employees? I guess that's a bit worse, eh?

September 29, 2012 9:18 PM

The TSA has "zero tolerance" for thieves and other criminals. Hooray! And yet, when passengers complain about your misconduct you trot out statistics about how few TSA employees are actually criminals and therefore we should cut you a break.

We, your customers, have zero tolerance for thieves and criminals working for the TSA. Get your rate to zero and start respecting your customers and you'll start getting the respect you so blatantly crave.

September 29, 2012 10:39 PM

Anonymous said...
You really need to do more research. What about all of the guns,knifes, explosives, grenades both live and inert, and let's not forget about the drugs and smuggling of both people and contraband.
September 29, 2012 10:20 AM
------------------------------

I just want to point out that it is not part of the TSA job to interdict drugs or other contraband. By statue TSA is only authorized a limited administrative search for three things, Weapons, Explosives, and Incendiaries.

If the anon who posted the above statements works for TSA then we can all see why we have a problem with TSA.

September 30, 2012 8:08 AM

Bob it is nice to see this individual is no longer employed. However there have been many ongoing media reports about theft by your employees in which it is mentioned that your agency can not take action against a screener caught red handed unless the passenger files a criminal complaint. Is this still policy or has this changed? It would sadly be cheaper for me to buy another iPad then fly back to a city to appear in court to bear witness against an employee for theft. Guess that's how they get away with it for so long.

Now unless I’ve lost my mind I seem to recall TSA policy is passengers should not be kept separated from their belongings. I am ALWAYS separated from my belongings for several minutes when I request a pat down instead of the body scanner. As mentioned in previous posts I will set off the alarm on the body scanner in two places and require a pat down anyway. I can go thru the metal detector no problem but that’s not an option. At best the screeners ignore me that I'm separated from my belongings and I get attitude if I try to hang on to them. Thankfully I've not had anything stolen yet but again policy doesn't match reality here.

Bob can you or any of the dedicated workers responding to this post honestly tell me what I can say to make your people follow proper procedure? I know there really are a lot of dedicated people at TSA trying their best but with what God gave me I’m going to be a problem at the body scanner. There isn’t anything I can do about this. Either it’s going to be an issue when I alarm or an issue when I request a pat down. The latter seems to be faster. Airline pilots work in a high radiation environment already so they got exempted from the body scanner. I have frequently travelled just to move a small plane from one city to another but I’m not an airline pilot so I can’t do the crew lane. Since I will alarm the body scanner anyway guess which route I take. I should not be separated from my belongings for several minutes while your screeners locate someone to pat me down and I shouldn’t be treated like a trouble maker either. I depend on my iPad when I pilot a plane but seems like it’s only a matter of time before there’s an issue here.

September 30, 2012 10:13 AM

Anon who posted on 9/29 @ 2:14 pm suggests that there was no airport security screening before TSA, that's factually dishonest. Security screeners on 9/11 properly screened the hijackers. They had valid ID and no contraband. The rules in place that day were mandated by government just as they are today.

The screeners did not fail, government failed, the same group TSA belongs to.

September 30, 2012 10:25 AM

Does TSA really have Zero Tolerance policy for Screener mis-conduct?

I don't think so. My personal experience suggests TSA works hard to cover up these things.

I reported to TSA what I believe was an attempted theft by a TSA employee at Fort Lauderdale airport. Was my complaint investigated? Not that I could tell. The FLL FSD told me through his CSR that we all have to accept more intense screening. TSA Cover Up.

I reported to DFW TSA an incident where I thought a TSA LTSO Screener as about to hit me. Investigation? None that I know of. Many attempts to find out any status wad met with stonewalling or complete silence from TSA. TSA Cover Up.

TSA is not interested nor cares how the public is treated by TSA screeners. TSA is only interested in what is good for TSA!

September 30, 2012 12:10 PM

"...124 x 12 = 1488 guns a year that your never do anything wrong innocent passengers are tying to get on the plane and blow somebody away are doing. Wake up people!"

I'm awake, thank you. I'll be generous and round up those numbers and make it 2,000 guns a year. That makes the percentage of guns to passengers about .003%

And that is only the guns. Add in knives and fake grenades and steak knives provided to first class passengers for dinner, and you are still 100 times more likely to be injured on your way to the airport than be 'blown away' by any of those 2,000 guns found annually in those evil, evil passengers luggage.

September 30, 2012 1:40 PM

When the TSA began rolling out the nude-o-scope scanners, I posted a comment on this blog expressing my concerns about the procedure creating a vulnerability to theft, including identity theft. Not only are passengers required to "divest" their wallets and passports for scanning, but the procedure separates passengers from all their belongings and makes no provisions for passengers to maintain visual contact with belongings during the screening.

Amazingly, several TSA employees responded to the comment. Not so amazingly, all but one of those TSA employees took the opportunity to show their contempt for me and for everyone else guilty of flying. They belittled me for being concerned about something they do not consider a problem. The one helpful comment suggested that I ask the TSO to keep my belongings in my view during the screening. The commenter noted that the TSA did not require officers to grant that request, but if I ask nicely enough and the officer feels like helping me, that could address my concerns.

What I gathered from those responses was that the TSA doesn't care about safeguarding passengers' belongings from theft. And that this problem apparently never entered the minds of the "security experts" at Headquarters who devised the (secret) procedures for the electronic strip-search screening.

Of course, my concern was that this deficiency in the screening process (which, of course, the infallible TSA will never admit could exist) would make my valuables vulnerable to opportunistic thieves hanging out at airports. What I had not considered was that those thieves would be the TSA's own "officers."

Any other organization would probably use this "instance" to correct the vulnerability. They might change the screening procedure to ensure that passengers can maintain visual contact with their belongings throughout the screening process. They might also hold managers accountable when their employees are caught stealing, taking bribes to ignore smuggled drugs, or using racial profiling to meet a quota of "referrals." They would acknowledge their problems and inform their customers of the measures they're taking to improve the processes that broke and allowed the failure to happen.

But this is the TSA. They don't admit to problems because they pretend to be infallible and incapable of error. They don't hold anyone accountable, even when things regularly happen for which they supposedly have "zero tolerance." Instead, they defend their employees and blame passengers when things go wrong. And when their employees can't be defended, they send them for "training." If an an employee is caught committing a crime (invariably by someone outside the TSA), they fire those employees. Then they issue a platitude-strewn press release proclaiming the problem solved, and insisting that the TSA has high integrity.

But of course, the institutional failings allowed the "instance" (and others) to happen are never addressed. They're merely swept under the rug and ignored. The only thing that matters is that the managers who allowed the "instance" to happen are shielded from any accountability.

These posts give us insight into what "integrity" means to the TSA. It means "The TSA is always right." Unfortunately, the "reputation of TSA" has been "adversely affected by instances like this one" so many times that there's nothing left to disparage. And worse, that doesn't seem to bother John Pistole at all.

September 30, 2012 6:37 PM

I suggest that the TSA leadership stand in an airport security line and hear what frequent travelers like myself really think of the TSA workforce - the label of "thief" is one of the more endearing terms.

I think TSA leadership are well aware of what we think of their workforce.

I also think TSA leadership are very proud of the reputation they've worked hard to earn. All the evidence suggests they truly believe that "security" needs be intrusive and distressing enough to provoke outrage and hatred. If a passenger feels violated and humiliated, it just means the officer did his or her job well. That's the way they define "security."

They most likely look at all the complaints and anger that passengers regularly express, and see it only as validation of the effectiveness of their agency and its workforce. They believe that an effective security agency should be despised, distrusted, and even ridiculed. So they have reason to be very proud of the extent of the hatred they've earned.

This is the only explanation I can think of for what I've seen ever since the TSA was created.

September 30, 2012 6:48 PM

Oh yeah. The comment by anonymous at 4:30 is exactly right. If you insist on keeping an eye on your carryon while being special screened, they get really nasty with you about it. I'm going to start publishing the TSA agent names, gates and airports, who are ugly to me. I think we all have to band together and get rid of this awful agency that insults the memory of our precious 9/11 victims by using their murders as an excuse to violate our civil rights.

September 30, 2012 9:15 PM

Why hasn't TSA Officer Andy Ramirez been ARRESTED?

Why wasn't his home searched? I'm sure there's more there?

WHY ARE YOU PROTECTING THIS TERRORIST?

He needs to be in jail. He needs to be charged with treason!

Why are you protecting criminals?

Stop protecting Andy Ramirez!

October 1, 2012 8:28 AM

So how many pedophiles does TSA employ?

http://www.philly.com/philly/news/20121001_TSA_hired_defrocked_Camden_priest_without_background_check.html


"Posted: Mon, Oct. 1, 2012, 3:01 AM TSA hired defrocked Camden priest without background check"

"The TSA hired the former priest before completing a background check, the agency recently confirmed. According to a church document, the diocese revealed to the TSA in 2003 as part of the background check that Harkins had been removed from ministry because of allegations he had molested two grade-school girls. Harkins was never criminally prosecuted, but the diocese settled civil lawsuits for $195,000."

"The TSA took no action as a result of the disclosure.

"An allegation alone does not warrant dismissal or automatically disqualify applicants from employment with the TSA," spokeswoman Ann Davis said."

So TSA has an employee in a management position who probably does not meet the TSA Core Values Statement of being an honest and a person of integrity.

How could he be if this was not disclosed during the hiring process?

Don't take your children to the airport in Philadelphia. TSA has child predator on the lose and is doing nothing about it.

How can we trust or respect any TSA employee knowing that this is how TSA operates?

This is just the one we know about, how many others TSA?

October 1, 2012 12:00 PM

What a pathetic excuse 0,4 %? Its 381 of your workers caught stealing percentage is not important here. And these are only those who got caught.

October 1, 2012 2:24 PM

Question TSA.

When a Pedophile applies for TSA employment is there not a requirement to declare any misconduct or other issues in the persons life during the application process?

If there is a requirement and TSA later finds out that the person did not fully disclose important information is that not grounds for dismissal?

How can TSA employ a known Pedophile and not do something to end that persons government employment?

Seems the public should question the integrity of all TSA employees!

October 1, 2012 3:45 PM

"Security" is (literally) the TSA's middle name. Most of us would consider "security" to include protecting passengers' belongings from theft during screening. But that apparently is not within the TSA's definition. The TSA is exclusively concerned with preventing repetition of past terrorist threats to aviation (beginning with 9/11 itself) with reactive measures that maximize the inconvenience and intrusiveness to passengers. Protecting passengers' belongings from theft, loss, or damage during screening is not related to the terrorist threat. So it is not part of their "security" definition, planning, or strategy.

To anyone outside the TSA, that would seem a serious oversight. But as the TSA is incapable of oversight, they would surely it by insisting that an increased risk of theft is a small price to pay for highly effective protection from terrorism.

I'm sure Bob would phrase it in a question like "Would you rather lose your iPad to a rogue TSA screener, or lose your life in an exploding airplane?" After pondering that question for even a few seconds, the fact that TSA screening procedures by design make passengers' belongings vulnerable to theft should become as irrelevant to us as it is to John Pistole and his leadership team.

Let's just keep this all in the proper perspective. The security of passengers' belongings doesn't matter to the TSA. Theft doesn't matter to the TSA (unless someone outside the TSA happens to catch an "officer" red-handed, necessitating a defensive scramble to deny accountability and keep the boss's posteriors well covered). When an officer is caught, it shouldn't matter to us because the TSA has high integrity. That's what Bob reminds us every time "instances like this one" happen, so it obviously must be true.

October 1, 2012 6:47 PM

It seems the TSA has zero tolerance for being caught; TSA procedures facilitate theft by separating passengers from their possessions, allowing multiple access to uncleared individuals.

Bear in mind that every TSA employee found to be abetting smuggling could have resulted in an explosive device on board an airplane...we should consider ourselves lucky to only have our property stolen.

October 1, 2012 8:20 PM

I dont understand, you left the ipad on purpose, it was not stolen!. If it had been stolen it means that you would have been in the airport screaming "STOLEN STOLEN". You left it, finder´s keeper baby.

But great job ruining the life of an underpaid security officer! Great ABC!

October 2, 2012 4:25 AM

What steps has the TSA taken to prevent theft by its employees?

October 2, 2012 10:30 AM

Note to LTSO in Denver: I fly through Denver more than any other airport and have never had a problem with TSA there. While I'm critical of a lot of things the agency does, I will give you credit where it's due.

October 2, 2012 11:35 AM

"Anonymous said...
And yet, when you insist on keeping an eye on your carryon while being "special screened" the TSA officers get an attitude about it.

September 28, 2012 4:03 PM"
---------------
Really? At our airport we have a sign outside the CP that you absolutely have to walk past that states in big, bold, black letters;
"AIT Opt Outs - Please Inform us".
That same sign is posted directly at eye level at each TDC as well as next to the HUGE 3'x4' poster which explains what the AIT is and that you can opt out and need to inform us PRIOR to proceeding. In addition, there is a big red "STOP" sign at the very first lane (non-AIT lane) which states "AIT Opt Out Wait here". Yet EVERY SINGLE DAY, people walk right past the signs, get to lane 3, plunk their stuff down on the xray belt, wait for it to go through and then walk up to the AIT and say "I want to opt out". Their belongings now have gone through xray where they can't be seen by the passenger (who would have been able to see them had they gone through the AIT since that is how we arranged our AIT lane).
We now have to scramble to get a free TSO or 2 to pick up all the bins and other belongings that the passenger has spread out, walk those across the back of the CP to lane one and then get the passenger back wards through the flow of traffic over to Lane 1 where they can be screened. In the meantime, those belongings are hanging out on the belt because the passenger is only just getting around to telling the TSO at the front that they have opted out.
Once we get them over to lane one we have to make sure everything made it over while we still have to screen them. This confusion can be avoided if people would JUST READ THE SIGNS!!! But then again, they are usually chatting on their cell phones so they miss all the signs but get annoyed when we ask them to hang up.

October 2, 2012 12:17 PM

John said...
I dont understand, you left the ipad on purpose, it was not stolen!. If it had been stolen it means that you would have been in the airport screaming "STOLEN STOLEN". You left it, finder´s keeper baby.

But great job ruining the life of an underpaid security officer! Great ABC!

----------------------------

I'm not seeing how ABC ruined this guy's life. There were 9 other ipads that were properly handled. If this guy had followed proper procedure, he would still have a job. Seeing the story, I'm surprised ABC didn't get the police involved. I have a feeling that this isn't the only thing he stole.

October 2, 2012 2:54 PM

TSM said...
---------------
Really? At our airport we have a sign outside the CP that you absolutely have to walk past that states in big, bold, black letters;
"AIT Opt Outs - Please Inform us".

-------------------------------

What airport is this? I've never seen a sign like that. About half of the time I involuntarily opt out due to my insulin pump, I get a lecture on how safe the machines are and how my doctor is wrong about them. My pump manufacturer says the scanners can damage the pump. I'm not going to risk damage to a life sustaining device just because a screener says it's safe.

Does the TSA allow outside companies to test if the scanners damage medical devices. I have no problem going through the MMW scanners, but I am not until Animas says it is safe. I'm not going through the backscatter machines ever. If Europe banned them over health reasons, I can't see them being safe.

October 2, 2012 3:00 PM

I dont understand, you left the ipad on purpose, it was not stolen!. If it had been stolen it means that you would have been in the airport screaming "STOLEN STOLEN". You left it, finder´s keeper baby.

But great job ruining the life of an underpaid security officer! Great ABC!

This may be a generalized form of Poe's law kicking in, but I honesty can't tell if you're serious or not. I would discount your ridiculous views as satire, but there are commenters on this blog who actually think the TSA is an important agency with high levels of integrity and "only the best" people as TSOs. So, against that backdrop of lunacy... it's hard to tell. You DO realize that the intention of the ABC crew was to test the honesty of TSOs, and not to hand out free iPads, right?

"Finders keepers" is certainly not how the law works. If I leave my car unlocked, I may be stupid, but it doesn't give you any legal right to the books I left on the back seat.

Further, the TSA has policies against TSOs appropriating lost, unclaimed, or other non-TSA property. At the very least, the TSO violated regulation and policy. So there's that.

All ABC did was find an "underpaid" TSO who felt that stealing was an appropriate way to supplement his income. Which, according to all the experts who are not TSA PR drones, is a lot more common than the TSA is willing to admit.

October 2, 2012 4:12 PM

"...left behind at one of our airports..."

Ditch the PR spin, Bob. It wasn't left behind, it was STOLEN.

October 2, 2012 4:22 PM

TSM said...
\Really? At our airport we have a sign outside the CP that you absolutely have to walk past that states in big, bold, black letters;
"AIT Opt Outs - Please Inform us".
...................
When you say AIT you really mean STRIP SEARCH MACHINE correct?

By the way, the airport is not TSA's airport, it is the public's airport.

You would do well to remember who the owners of these airports are.

October 2, 2012 4:39 PM

These things you "confiscate" from passengers; do you return them to their rightful owners? If the answer is no, then the entire organization has made theft a policy.

October 2, 2012 5:18 PM

@Alberto: What steps has the TSA taken to prevent theft by its employees?

Bob answered that in the title of this post: "TSA Has Zero Tolerance on Theft"

That means whenever someone outside the TSA catches a TSA employee stealing and reports it to the public, the TSA (eventually) fires the employee. Then Bob performs the final step of writing a blog post effusively praising the TSA's integrity, dedication, and professionalism.

Isn't that enough?

October 2, 2012 5:24 PM

Kudos to TSM for fully complying with the Official TSA Policy to always blame passengers for all problems caused by flaws in TSA screening procedures.

(Is it me, or have the numbers in the blurry CAPTCHA photos numbers been getting progressively smaller?)

October 2, 2012 5:29 PM

"John said...
I dont understand, you left the ipad on purpose, it was not stolen!. If it had been stolen it means that you would have been in the airport screaming "STOLEN STOLEN". You left it, finder´s keeper baby.

But great job ruining the life of an underpaid security officer! Great ABC!

October 2, 2012 4:25 AM"
---------------------------
Wow! RB's gonna have a field day with that one!

October 2, 2012 6:18 PM

RB Said "Question TSA.

When a Pedophile applies for TSA employment is there not a requirement to declare any misconduct or other issues in the persons life during the application process?

If there is a requirement and TSA later finds out that the person did not fully disclose important information is that not grounds for dismissal?

How can TSA employ a known Pedophile and not do something to end that persons government employment?

Seems the public should question the integrity of all TSA employees!"

There is a requirement for anyone applying for employment with the Federal Govt. for a public trust position, to fully disclose their past. The form that is used to collect this information for the background investigation is the SF-86. From the Penalties statement on the SF-86:

The U.S. Criminal Code, title 18 section 1001 provides that knowingly falsifying or concealing a material fact is a felony....In addition, Federal agencies generally fire, do not grant security clearance, or disqualify individuals who have materially and deliberately falsified these forms...

He was treated for pedophilia, not charged with it as a crime. It is a terrible distinction but it is the correct legal one.

Under Section 13A of his SF-86 he should have noted that he was disciplined by his previous employer. This should have raised a red flag.

Under Section 21 of his SF-86 if the treatment had occurred within 7 yeas of his application for employment, then it should have been disclosed.

Under Section 22 of his SF-86 there is no option for allegations. OPM is concerned with charges and convictions. I could allege that RB is a pedophile, but it has no weight unless it is accompanied by a charge.

Keep in mind that TSA has nothing to do with the final adjudication and won't have the information that the former employer provides to OPM unless OPM releases it to them. In this case OPM was in the middle of investigating and adjudicating 50,000 new clearances and investigators were likely swamped. OPM does few of the investigations themselves, they are contracted out to contract investigators from a few companies. The letter from the employer may have never even been included in his case file if the investigator had already moved it along for adjudication.

I imagine that it will now get a second look and that this TSM won't be employed much longer if he omitted or made false statements on his clearance paperwork.

But by all means keep painting everyone at TSA with those broad brush strokes.

October 2, 2012 7:38 PM

@TSM .... I have been through numerous airports recently and I must say I have never seen all the signs you spoke about. But, in typical TSA fashion you are trying to justify the theft of travelers' personal property by TSA employees. Just another example of the egotism displayed by TSOs when I travel through our airports.

October 2, 2012 7:52 PM

"READ THE SIGNS!!!"

You got that right, TSM.

There should be a penalty for not paying attention to the signs. People that don't read English should be required to have interpreters. Anytime they get an "Attitude" they should get one right back. The government has to show who's boss.

October 2, 2012 8:46 PM

Follow the jibberish.

"AIT Opt Outs - Please Inform us".

Now really, doesn't that read more like something in a foreign language?

Bureaucratese?

Maybe most people don't take to time to study TSA's abbreviations before they enter an airport.

Really, look at the sign and tell me that makes sense to the average person. Would it make sense if you didn't work for TSA?

October 2, 2012 9:08 PM

@ John - No one made the TSA screener thief steal the iPad left by ABC. No one made him take it home. No one made him blame his wife for stealing it.

Would you only think bad of Ramirez if a regular passenger accidentally left the iPad? Same situation. iPad left by someone. Ramirez stole it because he's a thief.

Frankly, John, if you think taking an object left by someone is always "finder's keepers," you have a very large hole in your ethics and morality. Do you happen to work for the TSA?

October 2, 2012 11:45 PM

@ TS"m" I agree that we all can work harder to look for signage and information before entering the TSA DMZ, but remember that not everyone can read, know English and not everyone's sight is good.

Assuming you think everyone you're referring to is literate, English-reading, and good sighted, then perhaps the TSA can take a look at how the signage is printed, where it is located, the lighting, overall size of the poster, and what distractors (TSA screeners, other passengers, nude-o-scanners, etc.) might impede someone from seeing these signs.

Just because you see them because you are there every day doesn't mean the average one-time tripper will see them.

Talk to you manager and see if they can get someone with print design experience to evaluate the situation. Not sure which airport you're at, but I've never seen these "clearly obvious" signs at any of the half dozen airports I've visited in the past few years.

October 2, 2012 11:52 PM

TSM said:

"Really? At our airport we have a sign outside the CP that you absolutely have to walk past that states in big, bold, black letters;
. . .
JUST READ THE SIGNS!!!"

Thank you for that condescending attitude we have to come to except from TSA. I don't know which airport you work at but I have never seen this sign at Sky Harbor (PHX). I will make a point to look for it next time. That being said I have always told the person checking my ID I was an opt out. I've been directed to the body scanner anyway where I'm expected to put my belongings until someone can give me the greet and grope.

Hopefully next time I'm at the airport I'll be approved for TSA Pre Check where the magnetometer isn't concerned about the shape of two areas on my body being odd. Or have my posts flagged me back to "random" secondary screening :)

October 3, 2012 10:51 AM

@TSM

"AIT Opt Outs - Please Inform us"

How about writing your sign in plain English rather than TSA-speak.

"If you would prefer a hand search instead of going through the body scanner, please inform us and do not put your bags through the X-Ray machine."

You have been "inside" too long. You think that your jargon means something to other people. It does not.

And, secondly, how about people who go through the body scanner (excuse me, AIT) but then are hand checked? What should they have done?

October 3, 2012 12:34 PM

This post is absolutely unbelievable, in all senses of the word.

I'll first give Bob credit for finally giving us an example of a TSA employee who did not act properly. And for admitting that an "officer" failed to meet the TSA's standards of integrity and professionalism.

But Bob neglects to mention that "instances like this one" demonstrate a lack of integrity that goes well beyond individual "officers."

"Instances like this one" show that managers and supervisors lack integrity by allowing theft, bribery, and other criminal violations to go on right under their noses-- until someone outside the TSA discovers the violations and makes them public. Then they scramble like cockroaches in the light to shield themselves from any accountability.

"Instances like this one" show a lack of integrity on the part of the unaccountable officials who design screening procedures that create the risk of theft. Apparently they don't care about the security of passenger belongings, because it doesn't matter to them.

"Instances like this one" show that John Pistole and his leadership team lack integrity by promoting an environment that not merely tolerates but encourages "instances like this one" to occur consistently and repeatedly. Their obsession with secrecy gives cover to criminal activity, and also to numerous violations of the "expectations set forth" to employees that aren't criminal. Their culture of evading accountability guarantees that the management failures that allow "instances like this one" to happen over and over again are never even acknowledged, let alone corrected.

"Instances like this one" are not the aberrations of sticky-fingered "officers." They represent a systemic failure, the result of which is that we can have no confidence that we'll leave a TSA checkpoint with all the belongings we had when we entered it.

So what is the TSA's official public response to "instances like this?" Bob essentially tells us to ignore them. In his view, they're so insignificant that they should not affect the unquestioning faith in the TSA's integrity that we're somehow supposed to have.

Just because Bob repeatedly tells us the TSA has integrity doesn't make it true. Especially if it's in response to "instances like this one" that clearly show just how often TSA "employees do not display integrity."

Responses like this, which presumably represent TSA leadership, tell us one thing very clearly: The TSA meets the highest standards of arrogance and contempt for the public it purports to serve, but has no integrity whatsoever.

October 3, 2012 3:07 PM

Now isn't that just like TSA? TSM wants us to believe we, the traveling public, are the reason our personal property is being stolen by TSOs. Just one more example of the aggorant, self important attitude of most TSA employees I've met during my trips through airport check points.

October 3, 2012 3:39 PM

TSM,

Sounds like at your airport AIT is mandatory - so much for the 'AIT will be only for secondary screening' TSA initially promised. I'm one of those who opts at the last minute because I hope I can get a lane where the WTMD is running - there is no way I will go through AIT. Anyhow, if you know people are still going to opt out at the last second, why the mad scramble to find available screeners? It's not like it's a surprise this happen?

October 3, 2012 4:00 PM

all of you complaining about TSA and the "small" numbers of actual threats prevented...how many threats do you suggest it takes? even one threat is too many if you, your family, friends, or loved ones are on that plane that results in death or injury. i am proud to be a TSO and I treat everyone with professionalism and respect. this is my job. if you don't like the screening processes at the airports, take alternative transportation.

October 3, 2012 4:35 PM

Anonymous said: "You people who complain don't know what you are talking about. 124 x 12 = 1488 guns a year that your never do anything wrong innocent passengers are tying to get on the plane and blow somebody away are doing. Wake up people!"

All of those guns, knives, and grenades could have been found by a metal detector! Do you think letting your family get groped, irradiated, and photographed naked is protecting them?

October 3, 2012 9:01 PM

"We now have to scramble to get a free TSO or 2 to pick up all the bins and other belongings that the passenger has spread out, walk those across the back of the CP to lane one and then get the passenger back wards through the flow of traffic over to Lane 1 where they can be screened. In the meantime, those belongings are hanging out on the belt because the passenger is only just getting around to telling the TSO at the front that they have opted out."

Tough. Maybe you should stop using invasive, time-consuming, and pointless screening technology that forces people to be separated from their valuables.

October 3, 2012 9:53 PM

My brother travelled from America to Australia 3 weeks bag and a packed MacBook Air and a Coach wristwatch was stolen from their baggage after it was checked in and under Qantas' care. When we contacted the airlines, they said they don't cover jewellery and electronics under their claim policy. Doesn't it sound convenient that amidst all other valuable items, including designer bags and designer shirts/sweaters, only the items that AREN'T allowed to be claimed were stolen? On my brother's way back to America, his checked in luggage had a carton with a dinner set. It was opened and checked and a plate was broken. There was also a notice left inside that stating that the baggage was inspected. It reminded me of the last time when their bag was checked and a MacBook Air and a Coach was removed, YET there was no notice left behind stating that the bag was thoroughly checked and "cleaned". The iPad was found via GPS, how do I find my MacBook Air and the watch?

October 4, 2012 1:26 AM

"AIT Opt Outs - Please Inform us"

Oh, the land of Jargon...

What's an AIT?

How is the abbreviation, "Opt" used?

1. grammar optative
2. optics optical
3. ophthalmology optician
4. optics optics
5. optimum
6. optional

(Maybe some of the travelers didn't get the instruction on reading TSA-ese.)

What if TSA people learned to communicate with travelers? Communication is more than yelling and making unintelligible signs. Would that not reduce the confusion?

“Oh wad some power the giftie gie us To see oursel's as others see us!" --Robert Burns

October 4, 2012 10:29 AM

Anonymous said...
RB Said "Question TSA.

I imagine that it will now get a second look and that this TSM won't be employed much longer if he omitted or made false statements on his clearance paperwork.

But by all means keep painting everyone at TSA with those broad brush strokes.
..............................

Thanks for the info on the SF-86.

TSA has known about this persons past since 2003 yet he still works for TSA today. How does TSA expect other employees to look to this person as a senior supervisor? I would have nothing but contempt for this individual!

You accuse me of painting all TSA employees with a wide brush. I suggest that brush is more of a liner brush when talking TSA employees.





October 2, 2012 7:38 PM

October 4, 2012 11:13 AM

Anonymous said...
"John said...
I dont understand, you left the ipad on purpose, it was not stolen!. If it had been stolen it means that you would have been in the airport screaming "STOLEN STOLEN". You left it, finder´s keeper baby.

But great job ruining the life of an underpaid security officer! Great ABC!

October 2, 2012 4:25 AM"
---------------------------
Wow! RB's gonna have a field day with that one!


October 2, 2012 6:18 PM
....................

This guy doesn't need me to point out their integrity issues, they did a fine job of that all by themselves.

October 4, 2012 11:27 AM

Another TSAnonymous screener said,

Anonymous said...

"all of you complaining about TSA and the "small" numbers of actual threats prevented...how many threats do you suggest it takes? even one threat is too many if you, your family, friends, or loved ones are on that plane that results in death or injury. i am proud to be a TSO and I treat everyone with professionalism and respect. this is my job. if you don't like the screening processes at the airports, take alternative transportation. --October 3, 2012 4:35 PM"

First, if you actually "treat everyone with professionalism and respect," thank you. Good customer service is appreciated.

Second, your "If your family was hurt by TERRORISTS, you'd totally comply!" is incorrect for many, many people. We will not sacrifice our freedom just because we experience a hypothetical tragedy.

Third, I do not appreciate the threadworn non-option of "take alternative transportation."

You know very well that businesspeople, non-drivers, children, some elderly, and people with mental or physical limitations have no other practical option in traveling long distances quickly. No one without weeks of spare time can travel across an ocean without flying.

Not sure where you live, but as a reminder, most of this country does not have access to passenger trains. Bus or car travel runs up against the time and ability limits listed above.

It is a straw man argument to say "Don't like it, don't fly." All law-abiding American citizens have the right to travel in this country by any legal means they can pay for without impediment or harassment from the government. They cannot be discriminated against or impeded from taking any travel option - this has been held up by the courts.

So, please continue to be "professional and respectful" to passengers, even if they disagree with the rules set up by your employer.

Thank-you.

October 4, 2012 1:35 PM

"These are only the ones who got caught."
Russel

This is exactly what I thought too. Because come on how stupid was the TSA employee with the ipad??

But maybe TSA should should take this as an good example on how to test their employees..

October 4, 2012 4:16 PM

I often travel through SeaTac, and I routinely opt out of body scans. When I do, I am taken to a screening area 30-50 feet away from the carry-on conveyor belts where my luggage sits completely unattended for the length of time necessary to complete the screening. No one watches the my bags except for me, trying to keep it in view while I'm being swabbed and questioned. This situation is just begging for theft or tampering. And what would happen if I tried to stop a thief? I'd be tackled by TSA and probably miss my flight for causing a disturbance.

October 5, 2012 3:41 PM

You're lying again, Bob. Please explain how you can say that 381 screening clerks have been arrested for theft when Nico himself said in June 2011 that nearly 500 had been arrested: http://tinyurl.com/9rym4se.

To save you the trouble, here is Nico's quote:

"So what are the odds that a TSA employee will steal something from your bag? In the last decade, fewer than 500 out of the TSA's 150,000 employees have been arrested on suspicion of theft, Melendez said."

You pulled the 381 figure from a DHS IG report of the "significant investigations of 2011." 381 is the number of all DHS employees arrested following "significant investigations."

You picked this number because it was lower than the actual number of TSA clerks arrested for theft and because you thought the media would buy your figure hook, line, and sinker, without bothering to independently check it out.

You were right. I have to hand it to you...

October 7, 2012 9:44 PM