Posted on 07/15/2004 1:34:41 PM PDT by Archangelsk
WASHINGTON, July 15 — Beards are out. So are jeans and athletic shoes. Suit coats are in, even on the steamiest summer days.
That dress code, imposed by the Department of Homeland Security, makes federal air marshals uneasy — and not just because casual clothes are more comfortable in cramped airline seats. The marshals fear that their appearance makes it easier for terrorists to identify them, according to a professional group representing more than 1,300 air marshals.
"If a 12-year-old can pick them out, a trained terrorist has no problem picking them out," said John D. Amat, a spokesman for the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association.
Documents and memos issued by the Department of Homeland Security and field offices of the Federal Air Marshal Service say marshals must "present a professional image" and "blend unnoticed into their environment." Some air marshals have argued that the two requirements are contradictory.
Federal air marshals must have neatly trimmed hair, and men must be clean-shaven, the documents say. Some of the service's 21 field offices have mandated that male officers wear suits, ties and dress shoes while on duty, even in summer heat. Women are required to wear blouses and skirts or dress slacks. Jeans, athletic shoes and non-collared shirts are prohibited.
In April, the officers' group sent a letter to members of Congress saying that the "military-style grooming standards and a blanket `sports coat' dress policy," along with conspicuous boarding procedures, jeopardize the safety of federal air marshals.
At least two airline industry unions, the Allied Pilots Association and the Association of Flight Attendants, have publicly backed the assertions of the officers' group.
Lynn Becker, a spokeswoman for Senator Herb Kohl, Democrat of Wisconsin, said the senator was made aware of the issue after a reporter for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel contacted his office after spotting several air marshals in the Milwaukee airport. The spokeswoman said the senator was working with the director of the Federal Air Marshal Service, Thomas D. Quinn, to address the boarding procedures and dress code issues.
Since May, the Federal Air Marshal Service has changed the check-in procedure for its air marshals, no longer requiring them to sign a logbook when they board. According to Senator Kohl's office, the air marshals' service is also considering a waiver that would allows its officers to request a relaxation of the dress code for certain flights.
The Federal Air Marshal Service acknowledges that a dress code for its marshals does exist, but it will not elaborate, saying that the specifics are "security sensitive information."
Dave Adams, a spokesman for the service, said that groups who have publicized the dress code are "endangering the lives of our general workforce." Mr. Adams said a dress code was put in place in April 2002, after the airline industry complained that air marshals' attire was too casual. He said some marshals had worn shorts, blue jeans, sandals and T-shirts while on duty.
"In order to gain respect in a situation, you must be attired to gain respect," Mr. Adams said in an interview. If air marshals were allowed to be too casual in their dress, he added, "they probably would not gain the respect of passengers if a situation were to occur."
One air marshal, who said he is frequently spotted by passengers, and who spoke on condition of anonymity, said, "Professionalism isn't deemed by your dress; it's by your attitude and demeanor.
"We just want the opportunity to dress different every day," he added.
He said the current dress policy allows potential terrorists to identify federal air marshals on flights. "They'll just pick out what flights we're on and what flights we're not on," he said.
Andrea Houck, 52, who was traveling through New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport to visit her son in San Diego this week, said that she thought federal air marshals should be "totally undercover."
Ms. Houck, pointing to other passengers waiting in the terminal's food court, said: "Look around you. Most people are traveling in T-shirts, sweatshirts and khakis.
"If I was a terrorist and I spotted someone dressed like an air marshal in a suit, I wouldn't get on that flight. I would get on another one."
Jason Pesick contributed reporting from Washington, and Eddy Ramírez from New York.
Interesting. And to think that I thought that a .45 would gain the respect.
Lo and behold, the problems of a centrally managed goverment operation, oblivious to the local norms.
What? No zippers?
It is like the undercover FBI agents back in the hippie sixties. They would remove their ties, unbutton their white long-sleved shirts and put on their sunglasses.
It is crucial that the Air Marshals not be typed.
The more sensible alternative is to abolish this ridiculous category of supercitizens and go back to pre-1960's where the right to keep and bear arms wasn't infringed during travel.
If an air marshall wears a tank top and shorts, where is he going to carry his sidearm? Perhaps that is the reason they wear suits.
some days I think michael moore may be right. maybe we are a dumb country. lets fight terrorists with one half our brain tied behind our backs.
I rode cross country next to a guy who didnt talk and never took off his suit jacket. thought it was odd at the time. I guess now I know why
*PING*
FWIW, we flew on Southwest yesterday out of Baltimore to San Diego. We got a pre-board due to my wife's knee problems, so we watched everyone get on the airplane from our first-row seat (Southwest has no assigned seats, of course).
My wife saw the TSA guy show his creds to the pilot and head flight attendant, and he sat down in the second row on the aisle. He was dressed like a vacationer or business casual (open neck print shirt, slacks, didn't see the shoes). He conversed with my wife several times on the long flight, and with the lady in the window seat - mainly about weather and vacations. Very pleasant and well-spoken fellow. Seemed to have a laptop and some business papers - couldn't look too carefully, of course.
Omigod is this stupid or what. Let 'em dress however they think they'd be most effective. Our gov't is certifiably insane.
LQ
And this is the government agency charged with protecting the militia?!?!?
It is no wonder those guys are leaving the service in droves (similar to the droves that signed up in the first place). With fewer and fewer folk, they were working "day on, stay on" and putting more hours than a long haul trucker.
Gotta be inconspicuous, gotta be alert, gotta be there.
This is the stupidest thing I've ever heard of.
The Marshals should be undercover. Board with the rest of the passengers, dress like a regular passenger, everything.
The general public is familiar with the concept of undercover cops. We'll accept that the guy is a professional once we see his badge.
I once had the pleasure of seeing an undercover NYPD Transit Officer in action. A really drunk guy on my subway started hassling the other passengers, threatening and shouting. This average looking, kinda scruffy guy stood up, flashed his badge, and took him into custody. He took him off at the next station. Nobody in that car was thinking "boy, does that cop look like a slob."
Homeland Security is also admitting that they're wasting a valuable opportunity by only watching the passengers after they have boarded the plane. A marshall in jeans and a sweatshirt standing around before boarding has an excellent opportunity to scope out the passengers and look for anything suspicious. They could seek out troublemakers, but choose instead to sit back and wait for the terrorists to start something before getting involved.
Dumb. I expect better from Ridge and Co.
Well, if they just made them wear a white shirt and tie, with no coat, and put them in pairs, and made sure they looked like they were in their early 20's, they could be disguised as Mormon missionaries.
lol.. correct. you could spot a narc in a crowd just by his shoes.
Homeland Security is run by idiots.
Did Gorelick make up this rule, It sound a lot like what Clinton did to the CIA when he made them stop recruiting scumbags for informants/.
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