TSA Week in Review: Plastic Dagger Found With Body Scanner

Plastic Dagger Found With Body Scanner – A passenger at DTW had a plastic dagger hidden in the hemline of her shirt. This is an example of the body scanner showing its strength by finding non-metallic weapons.

Knife Mounted on Walker: Yes, the kind of walker that assists one with walking... Usually, the only attachments you see on walkers are tennis balls, but this one had a knife mounted on the front. Just another example of why we take a closer look at even the most common of items. Great job to the Officers at New York's JFK.

Tomahawk – Denver (DEN) Officers discovered a tomahawk in a carry-on bag. Not a Tomahawk missile, but a bladed projectile.

Replica Grenades and Mines –It’s been another busy week for grenades and mines. Inert grenades were discovered by Officers at Tampa (TPA) and Savannah (SAV). Training Claymore mines complete with shrapnel were discovered at Newark (EWR). You would think that these items would be a rare find, but apparently that’s not the case. I know I’ve said it over and over, but for anybody who may be new to reading this post, we realize that replicas are totally harmless, however, we don’t know that until we’ve gone through all of the motions. Read here and here for more information on why inert items cause problems at checkpoints.

Biohazard – You can imagine the look on the Officer’s face in Austin (AUS) when they discovered a label on a package that read “Class 6 Biohazard.” After Police and Austin Fire responded, they learned the item was a water and borax solution.

Spearguns are Prohibited – I remember when I used to train TSOs. They would laugh when I mentioned Spearguns while going over prohibited items. They couldn’t believe that anybody would actually try to bring one on a plane. Well…in addition to all of the other ones we’ve found, the latest was discovered at Raleigh-Durham (RDU).

Throwing Stars – Your Kung Fu is no match for our Officers. With a few acrobatic moves and defensive measures, Officers at Salt Lake City (SLC) and LaGuardia (LGA) found a total of three throwing stars. Good job, grasshoppers.

People Say the Darndest Things - Here are examples of what not to say at the airport. Statements like these not only delay the people who said them but can also inconvenience lots of other passengers if the checkpoint has to be evacuated:  

• While waiting in line to be screened at St. Louis (STL) a passenger nodded to another unidentified passenger, and stated to a TSO, “You better check this guy good, he has explosives.” 
• A passenger within earshot of our Behavior Detection Officers at Tucson (TUS) stated: “I did not want you to notice the bomb in my shoe.”

Miscellaneous Prohibited Items - In addition to all of the other prohibited items we find weekly, our Officers also found firearm components, realistic replica firearms, stun guns, brass knuckles, pepper spray, quite the assortment of knives, ammunition, and batons.

Firearms - Here are the firearms our Officers found in carry-on baggage since I posted last Friday.

You can travel with your firearms in checked baggage, but they must first be declared to the airline. You can go here for more details on how to properly travel with your firearms. Firearm possession laws vary by state and locality. Travelers should familiarize themselves with state and local firearm laws for each point of travel prior to departure. 

Unfortunately these sorts of occurrences are all too frequent which is why we talk about these finds. Sure, it’s great to share the things that our officers are finding, but at the same time, each time we find a dangerous item, the throughput is slowed down and a passenger that likely had no ill intent ends up with a citation or in some cases is even arrested. This is a friendly reminder to please leave these items at home. Just because we find a prohibited item on an individual does not mean they had bad intentions, that's for the law enforcement officer to decide. In many cases, people simply forgot they had these items.

Blogger Bob Burns
TSA Blog Team

If you’d like to comment on an unrelated topic you can do so in our Off Topic Comments post. You can also view our blog post archives or search our blog to find a related topic to comment in. If you have a travel related issue or question that needs an immediate answer, you can contact a Customer Support Manager at the airport you traveled, or will be traveling through by using Talk to TSA. 

More Than 1 Million Passengers Screened by TSA Pre✓™

There was no confetti or sirens, but the one millionth passenger was screened by TSA Pre✓™  today. Not only are the TSA Pre✓™ participants growing in number, but the locations are also growing. United Airlines, Jet Blue and US Airways as well as some additional airport locations around the nation will begin operations this year.

Currently, TSA Pre✓™ is operating with American Airlines at airports in Chicago, Dallas, Miami, Las Vegas, New York (JFK), Minneapolis and Los Angeles, with Delta Air Lines at airports in Atlanta, Detroit, Las Vegas, New York (LGA), Orlando, Salt Lake City, Minneapolis and Washington, DC and Alaska Airlines in Seattle.

In case you’re wondering what TSA Pre✓™ is, you can go here to read all about it. Long story short, it’s an initiative that allows passengers to expedite their screening experience if they opt in. How do you opt in to TSA Pre✓™? Funny you should ask… Just go here.

TSA Pre✓™ is only one of our risk based security initiatives. Be sure to read about our other initiatives:

TSA Pre✓™ Expedited Screening

Screening for Active Duty U.S. Service Members

Screening for Passengers 12 and Under

TSA to Begin Limited Test of Modified Screening for Passengers 75 and Older

Expanded Behavior Detection Pilot

Keep an eye on our TSA Pre✓™ page for future announcements.

Blogger Bob Burns  

TSA Blog Team

If you’d like to comment on an unrelated topic you can do so in our Off Topic Comments post. You can also view our blog post archives or search our blog to find a related topic to comment in. If you have a travel related issue or question that needs an immediate answer, you can contact a Customer Support Manager at the airport you traveled, or will be traveling through by using Talk to TSA.

TSA’s Civil Rights and Liberties Program

When something doesn’t go right at a security checkpoint, TSA wants to know about it. Getting feedback from passengers is one of the best ways we can improve the security experience for everyone and address any problems that could be occurring in the security system. 

With a workforce of more than 50,000 people all over the country, our workforce reflects the diversity of the American people we serve.  Our employees come from just about all of the ethnic and religious backgrounds as the travelers who pass through our checkpoints, and our workforce is trained regularly about religious and cultural issues that could arise during the screening process. 

   

In our mission to protect all people when they travel, our workforce is committed to treating each person with dignity and respect throughout the screening process. TSA does not profile passengers on the basis of race, ethnicity or religion. As a former field employee who wore many hats, I can say firsthand that TSA does not and has never trained or condoned racial profiling. We continually engage with a wide variety of stakeholder groups to help us understand unique passenger concerns, and we appreciate their support in sharing passenger feedback about the screening process.

We encourage any traveler who believes they have been treated differently or unlawfully discriminated against by a Transportation Security Administration employee to file a civil rights or civil liberties complaint with TSA’s Disability and Multicultural Division by going to the Office of Civil Rights and Liberties’ web page. All claims are investigated, and again, information provided to us helps us continuously improve our security system.

Blogger Bob Burns
TSA Blog Team 

If you’d like to comment on an unrelated topic you can do so in our Off Topic Comments post. You can also view our blog post archives or search our blog to find a related topic to comment in. If you have a travel related issue or question that needs an immediate answer, you can contact a Customer Support Manager at the airport you traveled, or will be traveling through by using Talk to TSA.

TSA Week in Review: Black Powder, Grenades, and Claymore Mines

Black Powder Flask – 5 ounces of black powder in a small flask was discovered at Syracuse (SYR). Even an amount as small as 5oz of black powder in a small container can cause a significant explosion.

Replica Grenades and Mines – Four replica grenades and two replica Claymore mines were discovered in checked baggage at Guam (GUM). I know I’ve said it over and over, but for anybody who may be new to reading this post, we realize that replicas are totally harmless, however, we don’t know that until we’ve gone through all of the motions. Read here and here for more information on why inert items cause problems at checkpoints.

IED Training Aids - We found a similar item just a few weeks ago, but once again, an IED training kit with a training components, a block of simulated SEMTEX-H, and a simulated blasting cap were discovered in checked baggage. This time it was at Columbus (CSG). And in case you’re wondering, it wasn’t an internal test. 

Items Concealed in VCR: A checked bag  at Newark (EWR) appeared to contain a VCR that had been tampered with. After TSA’s Explosive Detection Team cleared the bag to be searched, it was determined that the contents inside of the unit was a VHS tape along with 23 smartphones each individually wrapped in aluminum foil and taped to the unit. (See photo) There was nothing prohibited or dangerous, so the items were cleared for travel. I don’t know which is more surprising, smartphones in a VCR, or that somebody is still using a VCR. 

People Say the Darndest Things - Here are examples of what not to say at the airport. Statements like these not only delay the people who said them but can also inconvenience lots of other passengers if the checkpoint has to be evacuated:  

·     A passenger receiving a pat-down of their waistband at Minneapolis (MSP) told our officer: “This is where I normally keep my explosives.”

·     A passenger approached a TSA Supervisor and stated she had not been properly screened and that she had not gone through the walk through metal detector or body scanner. After reviewing the CCTV, it was determined she had indeed been screened by the walk through metal detector. 

Miscellaneous Prohibited Items - In addition to all of the other prohibited items we find weekly, our Officers also found firearm components, realistic replica firearms, stun guns, brass knuckles, an inordinate amount of knives, ammunition, and batons.

Firearms - Here are the firearms our Officers found in carry-on baggage since I posted last Friday.

You can travel with your firearms in checked baggage, but they must first be declared to the airline. You can go here for more details on how to properly travel with your firearms. Firearm possession laws vary by state and locality. Travelers should familiarize themselves with state and local firearm laws for each point of travel prior to departure. 

Unfortunately these sorts of occurrences are all too frequent which is why we talk about these finds. Sure, it’s great to share the things that our officers are finding, but at the same time, each time we find a dangerous item, the throughput is slowed down and a passenger that likely had no ill intent ends up with a citation or in some cases is even arrested. This is a friendly reminder to please leave these items at home. Just because we find a prohibited item on an individual does not mean they had bad intentions, that's for the law enforcement officer to decide. In many cases, people simply forgot they had these items in their bag. That’s why it’s important to double check your luggage before you get to the airport.
 

Blogger Bob Burns
TSA Blog Team

 

If you’d like to comment on an unrelated topic you can do so in our Off Topic Comments post. You can also view our blog post archives or search our blog to find a related topic to comment in. If you have a travel related issue or question that needs an immediate answer, you can contact a Customer Support Manager at the airport you traveled, or will be traveling through by using Talk to TSA. 

Four Year Old Child Not Accused of Concealing Firearm

I’ve seen some headlines stating that TSA Officers accused a 4-year-old child of having a firearm. This wasn’t the case, and I wanted to take a few moments to explain what happened.

TSA has long had a security procedure where if somebody has contact with a person who is undergoing additional screening, they must also undergo additional screening. Why you might ask? You’ve probably heard the old saying that the hand can be faster than eye? Well… that’s the reasoning behind this procedure. There’s always the chance that a prohibited item could be traded off during contact. I’m sure you’ve watched the scene play out in more than one movie where two people collide or shake hands and an item is traded off? Same thing… 

We did recently roll out new procedures that reduce the need for pat-downs of children. These new screening procedures include permitting multiple passes through the metal detector and advanced imaging technology to clear any alarms as well as the greater use of explosives trace detection.  These changes in protocol will ultimately reduce – though not eliminate – pat-downs of children. But… this is one of those examples where a pat-down of a child was necessary. 

It was explained to the family why the pat-down was needed and at no time did our Officers suggest the child was carrying a firearm. We’ve reviewed the incident and determined that our officers followed proper current screening procedures.

Blogger Bob Burns
TSA Blog Team

 

If you’d like to comment on an unrelated topic you can do so in our Off Topic Comments post. You can also view our blog post archives or search our blog to find a related topic to comment in. If you have a travel related issue or question that needs an immediate answer, you can contact a Customer Support Manager at the airport you traveled, or will be traveling through by using Talk to TSA.