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TSA Chief Out After Agents Fail 95 Percent of Airport Breach Tests
NBC News ^ | 6/1 | TOM COSTELLO and M. ALEX JOHNSON

Posted on 06/01/2015 7:43:32 PM PDT by nickcarraway

The acting head of the Transportation Security Administration was reassigned Monday after an internal investigation by the Department of Homeland Security found security failures at dozens of the nation's busiest airports. The breaches allowed undercover investigators to smuggle weapons, fake explosives and other contraband through numerous checkpoints.

Melvin Carraway, an 11-year veteran of the TSA who became acting administrator in January, was immediately reassigned to job coordinating DHS programs with local law enforcement agencies, DHS Secretary Jeh Johnson said Monday night. Coast Guard Vice Adm. Pete Neffenger's nomination to be permanent administrator is awaiting Senate confirmation.

Upon learning the initial findings of the Office of Inspector General's report, Johnson immediately directed TSA to implement a series of other actions, several of which are now in place, agency officials said.

Image: Acting TSA Administrator Melvin Carraway Acting TSA Administrator Melvin Carraway discusses an attack by a man with a machete at the New Orleans airport in March as other law enforcement officials look on.Reuters In one case, an alarm sounded, but even during a pat-down, the screening officer failed to detect a fake plastic explosive taped to an undercover agent's back. In all, so-called "Red Teams" of Homeland Security agents posing as passengers were able get weapons past TSA agents in 67 out of 70 tests — a 95 percent failure rate, according to agency officials.

"The numbers in these reports never look good out of context, but they are a critical element in the continual evolution of our aviation security," Homeland Security officials said in a statement.

This isn't the first time TSA officers have failed to detect fake terrorists and their weapons. "Red Teams" have been probing TSA checkpoints for 13 years, oftentimes successfully getting weapons past airport screeners.

However, this time, TSA agents failed to detect almost every single test bomb and gun, aviation experts said.

"It's disturbing news. The question is how we can best mitigate that vulnerability in a way that doesn't prohibit the free movement of people and goods," John Pistole, a former TSA administrator, told NBC News. "That's just something that there's no perfect answer for."

Meanwhile, terrorism experts stress that the threat levels remain high.

"There's a continuing drumbeat of interests by terrorist groups, whether al-Qaeda or al-Qaeda affiliates, to try to bring down a Western — especially a U.S.-bound — aircraft," Pistole said.


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Extended News; Government
KEYWORDS: jehjohnson; melvincarraway; tsa; tsauseless
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To: nickcarraway

61 posted on 06/01/2015 10:52:49 PM PDT by Freedom_Is_Not_Free (Lord God help us.)
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To: nickcarraway

62 posted on 06/01/2015 10:53:25 PM PDT by Freedom_Is_Not_Free (Lord God help us.)
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To: nickcarraway

63 posted on 06/01/2015 10:55:09 PM PDT by Freedom_Is_Not_Free (Lord God help us.)
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To: Freedom_Is_Not_Free

The picture above says it all. The old lady’s look is part disgust and part pity for the screener having to do this. The old lady conveys the complete absolute uselessness of the screening. At least the white TSA screener has enough conscience to look deeplly ashamed by what she is doing to the old woman. Treated with a complete lack of dignity and respect.

There is your TSA. Pure evil.


64 posted on 06/01/2015 10:58:40 PM PDT by Freedom_Is_Not_Free (Lord God help us.)
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To: nickcarraway

http://www.theindychannel.com/news/former-state-police-superintendent-faces-ethics-complaint

Former State Police Superintendent Faces Ethics Complaint
Oct 13, 2005

The state inspector general’s office has filed an ethics complaint against former Indiana State Police Superintendent Melvin J. Carraway, alleging that he improperly ordered the destruction of three data storage devices from state police computers.

The complaint, filed with the Indiana Ethics Commission, alleges that Carraway ordered the hard drive destruction in December, when he still was superintendent. He left the post when Mitch Daniels became governor.

(snip)

Sources told Cox that the complaint is not linked to a recently released state audit that accused Carraway and his cousin, former state police Lt. Col. Cody Johnson, of improperly transferring money from one fund to another.

Carraway currently is head of airport security in Albuquerque, N.M.

http://www.wibc.com/blogs/ex-state-officials-fined-ethics-commission

Ex-State Officials Fined By Ethics Commission
Jun. 08, 2006

The state ethics commission on Thursday issued $5,000 fines against both the former head of the state police and a former state highway commissioner after they admitted violations of ethics rules.

The unrelated cases involved former state police Superintendent Melvin Carraway and ex-Department of Transportation Commissioner J. Bryan Nicol, who held those positions under former Democratic Govs. Frank O’Bannon and Joe Kernan.

Carraway admitted removing and destroying three computer hard drives before leaving his state job after the 2004 election of Republican Gov. Mitch Daniels.

The ethics commission’s report did not say why the hard drives were destroyed.

(snip)


65 posted on 06/01/2015 11:08:06 PM PDT by maggief
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To: ClearCase_guy

The only thing these uneducated aholes know is to yell at people’s faces to TAKE YOUR SHOES OFF! and yell “PUT YOUR SHOES IN THE TRAY....IN THE TRAY DAMMIT!”


66 posted on 06/01/2015 11:33:50 PM PDT by max americana (fired liberals in our company last election, and I laughed while they cried (true story))
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To: ROCKLOBSTER

The “melanin enhanced” bitch at McCarron got my heirloom silver ring. I noticed it missing, turned around, and she was just leaving the “secure” area.

Sorry GIdo, obviously it was her family brought it from Ukraine.

I *HATE* Vegas...


67 posted on 06/02/2015 12:22:16 AM PDT by Don W ( When most riot, neighborhoods and cities burn. When Whites riot, nations and continents burn.)
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To: DesertRhino

Real bright to announce the failures, and the specific methods

^ this +1 It’s almost as if they want the terrorists to know how they fail.


68 posted on 06/02/2015 2:20:30 AM PDT by VTenigma (The Democratic party is the party of the mathematically challenged)
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To: nickcarraway

They failed because they were too busy hassling nuns and young children and groping good looking men and women.


69 posted on 06/02/2015 2:40:43 AM PDT by Timber Rattler (Just say NO! to RINOS and the GOP-E)
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To: cardinal4
“Johnson's first name (pronounced “Jay”) is taken from a Liberian chief, who reportedly saved his grandfather’s life while Dr. Johnson was on a League of Nations mission to Liberia in 1930.[2]”
Wikpedia

I think Muslim

70 posted on 06/02/2015 3:27:57 AM PDT by hans56 (WAR IS PEACE, FREEDOM IS SLAVERY,IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH)
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To: ButThreeLeftsDo

Melvin NOT get fired...he got re-assigned of course.....he’s an Affirmative Action Hire.


71 posted on 06/02/2015 4:34:18 AM PDT by Ann Archy (ABORTION....... The HUMAN Sacrifice to the god of Convenience.)
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To: Freedom_Is_Not_Free

Post smaller pictures!!’


72 posted on 06/02/2015 5:01:02 AM PDT by ThePatriotsFlag ( Anything FREELY-GIVEN by the government was TAKEN from someone else!)
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To: Freedom_Is_Not_Free

Post smaller pictures!!’


73 posted on 06/02/2015 5:01:11 AM PDT by ThePatriotsFlag ( Anything FREELY-GIVEN by the government was TAKEN from someone else!)
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To: nickcarraway

They should fire the top guy because he didn’t fire the people who flunked the tests. Bet those people don’t get fired.


74 posted on 06/02/2015 5:02:46 AM PDT by ThePatriotsFlag ( Anything FREELY-GIVEN by the government was TAKEN from someone else!)
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To: ButThreeLeftsDo

Fired? hell, he will be a GS-15 in ATF after a month of paid vacation. Remember, ATF is the refuse and rejects is the entire .gov beast.


75 posted on 06/02/2015 5:05:59 AM PDT by DCBryan1 (No realli, moose bytes can be quite nasti!!)
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To: nickcarraway

You fired the wrong one!! Fire the agents responsible. Better yet, close the whole HSN.


76 posted on 06/02/2015 5:41:04 AM PDT by jch10 (America, destroyed from within.)
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To: jch10

That is TSA and Homeland Security.


77 posted on 06/02/2015 5:43:49 AM PDT by jch10 (America, destroyed from within.)
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To: ButThreeLeftsDo

No not fired. Reassigned which means a promotion for those of the right,... no left, persuasion.


78 posted on 06/02/2015 11:07:34 AM PDT by Recompennation
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