Posted on 01/01/2010 7:00:08 AM PST by mylife
DFW Security Checkpoint Left Unattended for 90 Minutes Agency suspends 3 agents, calls incident "serious and unacceptable" By GRANT STINCHFIELD Updated 8:05 PM CST, Thu, Dec 31, 2009
The Transportation Security Administration has launched an internal investigation after a security checkpoint at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport was left unattended and unsecured for 90 minutes earlier this month.
Three agents have been suspended pending the outcome of the investigation.
The agency said the agents left the checkpoint at Gate E8 from 8:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Dec. 16. Personnel from the airport's Department of Public Safety discovered the gate was not secure during a routine patrol, the TSA said.
TSA spokeswoman Andrea McCauley called it a "serious and unacceptable security failure."
"An immediate review of closed-circuit television tapes verified that no passengers or items entered the sterile area while the gate was unsecure," the TSA said in a statement.
But Dallas-based aviation security expert Denny Kelly said an hour and a half is too long. It could have put thousands of travelers at risk, he said.
"When you leave a gate like that open, they can go anywhere they want all over the world and never have to be checked again," he said.
Denny said the airport should have been emptied and rescreened passengers.
"They want to talk about our security, how good it is, but it's not good," Kelly said.
McCauley said the TSA is focused ensuring the lapse in security never happens again.
The TSA's complete statement on the incident:
On Wednesday, December 16, 2009, at the conclusion of screening operations at DFW, the "E8" checkpoint gate was not appropriately secured. Personnel from the DFW Department of Public Safety (DPS) discovered the unsecured gate during a routine patrol of the area. DPS promptly contacted TSA, at which time officers responded and properly secured the gate. An immediate review of closed circuit television tapes verified that no passengers or items entered the sterile area while the gate was unsecure.
TSA finds this unacceptable and has moved swiftly to conduct a complete investigation and take all appropriate corrective action.
First Published: Dec 31, 2009 4:53 PM CST
This shows that DeMint is right in opposing the TSA head nominee - can you imagine the government trying to fire these cretins if they were unionized?
Hey..
They had a valid excuse.
The Cinnibon place was in another terminal.
What difference does it make? So the TSA missed a few 80 year old, blue haired ladies with their cavity searches. Big deal.
IMO it doesn’t really matter. The security checkpoints are a joke. The terrorists can blow up a plane anytime they want. Thats assuming they can get their detonators to work properly.
The only way to stop these bombings is to kill them before they get to the airport.
Grandma, the 3 year old, the vet with a steel rod in his leg are not going to bomb the airplane.
Yeah, I guess it was the middle of the afternoon.
That's the least the TSA should do.
However, if union-lover Erroll G. Southers is able to overcome some difficulties and becomes TSA chief, punishment like this will be promptly dumped. You don't suspend union goons.
Absolutely! The poor dears were only off for a well-deserved coffee break -- and such a short one, too!
Best security idea I have heard in a long time.
Are you saying no one who makes less than a certain amount can be expected to do any job properly?
Or are you saying all people who make less than $12.50 an hour are lazy and don't care,don't really work?
Or are you just a darn jerk?
I am incensed on behalf of all Americans who go work hard at various jobs all across the nation and yet don't receive pay of $12.50 per hour.
There are tens of millions working every day for anything from the minimum wage to $25K.
What is the real crime is so many who do so little ,in private or government positions, take home enormous salaries and benefits.
Sheesh settle down.
The TSA tends to hire low experienced people because they don’t pay well.
How many people WANT a job where all they do is sit there and deal with tired cranky people?
OH NO!!!
NOT a dreaded SUSPENSION!
Not the same kind of punishment handed out in Middle School!
That’s just TOO MUCH!
the security of our Nation is now in the hands of children
Perhaps following Rule #1 — do not leave your post until you’ve checked in your replacement? Is that really too much to ask?
I guess it was break time !
You get what you pay for, if you’re lucky.
Dey shiff was ober, so dey leff.
At DFW it is more likely they left for an EID celebration
LOL - I think that’s what China, Russia, Iran, NK, etc. see when they look at our country.
All TSA employees should take a permanent vacation aka fired. It’s one big taxpayer waste.
But Hoosierham has a point. Millions of Americans work low paying jobs and give it their best effort. I personally couldn’t imagine working any job and giving it less than my best effort no matter what it paid. Once that priniciple has been lost then no matter how much money you are paid it won’t guarantee good performance. People who slack off because “this job doesn’t pay me enough to do ____” are not worth a penny of what they are earning. Work ethic can’t be purchased by the employer at any price.
If they were unionized this would not have happened
sarc
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