Posted on 05/02/2011 8:52:01 PM PDT by Jubal Harshaw
Today I was the victim of an attempted frame-up by the TSA. Here's my story; I present it as a warning. I suppose the only take-home message is that one should insist on an independent witness, such as a police officer in my case, during TSA “searches.” Thing is, I don't know how independent most police officers are likely to be.
This morning, I went through LAX, and refused to go through the radiation scanner. I went through a manual search instead. During this process, I was “patted down.” During the “pat down” process, the screener announced what he was doing: “I'm putting my hand in your collar … I'm going to move my hand side to side ...” etc. After the “pat down” process, the screener who patted me down grabbed a test strip that had nothing to do with me, and was sitting on top of the test strip reader, apparently before I'd gotten to the “pat down” area. I will designate that as “test strip A.” He continued with his description of what he was doing, though by this time he was talking to his supervisor. “I handled the test strip that was on the machine before I put his [referring to me] strip in the machine.” The supervisor, who had apparently not expected this apparent rookie to continue his self-descriptive monologue during an obviously inappropriate part of the testing procedure told the screener to get on with the test. The screener then swabbed the same gloves with which he had:
(1) “patted me down” and (2) handled test strip A
with an apparently fresh test strip, which I will designate “test strip B.” The screener then put test strip B in the reader. The reader then reported “explosives.”
I pointed out to both the supervisor and the screener than this was invalid test, since the screener (knowingly, since he'd described to his supervisor what he'd done) had contaminated his gloves with test strip A before handling test strip B. Upon hearing me point this out, the screener then picked up test strip A, which he had previously placed on top of the reader after handling it (apparently to be ready for the next person) and threw it out.
By this time, the police had been called. I explained what had happened to the officer, and asked officer him to investigate. I pointed out that there were cameras everywhere in this area, including two camera emplacements almost immediately above the reader. The police officer apparently called whoever was monitoring those cameras, and told me that those cameras were not working, and had not captured any of these events. I asked for an investigation, and the Officer told me that I could take it up with the TSA.
I was then told by the TSA personnel that I would have to undergo further screening away from the public. I did not refuse, but pointed out that I did not want to go to some back room for some unknown purpose, especially based on a knowingly adulterated chemical test. The police officer offered to accompany me as a witness, and I eventually went to a closed room, where I was again “patted down.” This time, in the presence of the police officer, I was again patted down, with largely the same procedure. This time, however, with the police officer watching, the new test read negative for explosives. I shudder to think what the second screening, in an isolated area, would have “found” if the police officer had not been present.
I pointed out again that I wanted an investigation, and stated that the test strip A was sitting on top of the garbage container where the first screener had thrown it. Having apparently heard that the video cameras covering the first test area were nonfunctional, the first screener (the one who had rubbed his gloves with a test strip from the top of the test machine) piped up at this point, and stated that he had thrown away nothing except his gloves.
There was a TSA supervisor there at this point, and I advised that supervisor that the screener had lied about this process, and asked the supervisor point blank how to formally request an investigation into this event. The supervisor told me that I could call the TSA 800 number.
I then went on to my flight.
There's a warning here to everyone who flies. The TSA is apparently in the process of mastering “throw down” evidence, though they don't seem to be particularly good at it yet. Beware, and ask for a police officer or independent witness when you are searched by the TSA.
Just prosecute?
Soon as Texas leaves the Union, I’m moving there.
Well, bootlicking - you meet all the important people. You just have to work your way up.
No harm?!?!?!?
People like that deserve a Russian prison.
The fact that TSA exists is living proof we are DEAD as a nation, and never getting back up.
I'm with the other post. Find me a place to leave. So I can watch the rot.
It is to train you to be subservient.
Nuremberg rules are in effect.
I travel by air a lot and have never seen the kind of assaults that are alleged.
YES!! I had a personal radio that tested positive because I set it on the grass that was fertilized the day before.
One has to wonder why they would choose to attempt to frame you, an innocent, random stranger.
Thousands Standing Around
A few weeks ago, I was in the St. Louis airport. I had gone through security and was walking down the concourse towards my gate. I spotted six TSA agents standing around, chatting.
I could not help myself. I walked up to them and said, "Now I see why they call TSA Thousands Standing Around.
One female agents said in a loud voice, "NO SIR!"
A second, large male TSA agent stepped towards me saying, "You ain't seen nothing yet."
A third female agent said to the large male agent, "Leave him alone."
I continued on to my gate slowly realizing that I probably narrowly avoided a very bad day.
The TSA at LAX seems to be especially aggressive and vicious. I try to fly out of Burbank or Long Beach.
Yes, it will get interesting knowing Obama.
Obama is supposed to permit Texans to decide on TSA or private security at airports and he has rejected that obligation. Had he obeyed the law and permitted Texas to choose private security as the TSA has become incompetent, billigerent and abusive, there would be no confrontation with Texas. While Obama is terrorizing women and children with sexualized searches at airports, he’s permitting adults with arms to enter the boarding area in test after test.
It will be a great public debate to have during the election season.
Well, that’s easy. I fly frequently (although not nearly as much as I used to before the advent of the TSA). I’ve been an outspoken critic of the TSA for years. I’ve written letters to congress, talked to people in line at the airports about the dangers of the TSA screening devices and about the violations of the 4th amendment inherent in the TSA, apparently convinced others in the screening lines to opt out of being scanned, filed police reports when I could (I filed a police report at SFO when the screener pulled down my pants in public; the LAX police have consistently refused to accept a police report, regardless of events). The TSA agents have made it clear that they know exactly who I am, including some of my medical history. I am not a random stranger to them.
SFO has - hands down - the worst TSA agents of any airport in this country. They don’t do their job. They’re always talking with one another or flirting with someone coming through the line that they find attractive. Godzilla could get through their so called screening.
Of course if Godzilla was white he’d never get through. The agents at SFO are totally racist. I don’t think I have ever seen a black get scanned or get an enhanced pat-down. A couple of weeks ago I opted out of a scan. That irritated them to no end. One agent called repeatedly for a female to do a pat down. FOUR of them came in response to his calls and all four looked me over, decided I was too white, said they were busy and went back to their conversations. Finally they found a non-minority to do the job I was separated from my purse and computer for 20 minutes and told I was going to miss my plane. White females, especially those who weight 100 lbs. less than they do especially irritate them.
Three words: Executive Jet Services.
The next time I fly (for business, or by need of expediency), I’m going ‘commando’. Let’em pull down my pants. No one (even my wife) wants to see a 40+ overweight man nekkid.
/said half sarc, half serious
re: “No one (even my wife) wants to see a 40+ overweight man nekkid.”
Haven’t been to San Francisco much, have you?
That is definitely a visceral reaction felt by many, but not an actual legal harm. (Your comment was probably sarcastic, but I couldn't tell for sure.)
No, thank God! I was sent there once for a technical training class. I don’t see what the big deal is - it’s just another port/bay town. I’d rather visit the San Diego area, or the New Orleans area, or the Florida Gulf Coast, or any other Florida beach area.
I did like driving up to Candlestick Park, getting out of my rental Jeep and taking pictures of the stadium. Beautiful location.
Other than that, it was a typical large city, with confusing streets (for non-locals), and a decent tourist area. The weather was ok (for late November), but the people (regular folk) were just what I’ve encountered in St. Louis, Chicago, Denver, etc.
I continued on to my gate slowly realizing that I probably narrowly avoided a very bad day.
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which you would have brought on yourself. And yes, I resemble that remark, as I hate to miss the opportunity to make a smartass comment.
I am not a random stranger to them.
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Why do you waste your time dealing the TSA agents on duty in the airports? Exactly what changes do you think they would be able to implement? Change the rules on the spot just for you? Not too likely.
I thought at first you were just paranoid. Now I agree with you, you very well may have been targeted because you are a serious PITA. Barking at the frontline agent? Oh yeah, you accomplish much that way.
It’s like you are yelling at the receptionist of a company for a bad decision made in the boardroom of that company. Can you say a waste of your breath?
Why not try to limit your yapping to the folks who can actually do something about the situation. But going to the airport, knowing full well the exact things that are going to happen to you, and then get all bent out of shape about it. And bark at the wrong people.
Another straw added to the proverbial camels back as to why I will not fly.
Good on ya for being so observant.
The “Don’t touch my junk” guy did not get in a hassle because of what he said about his junk. The falderal started when he requested a uniformed officer.
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