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DFW Security Checkpoint Left Unattended for 90 Minutes (1 day after bombing attempt)
NBC ^ | 12/31/09 | GRANT STINCHFIELD

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


TOPICS: Government; Miscellaneous; News/Current Events; US: Texas
KEYWORDS: airportsecurity; dfw; security; securitybreach; tsa
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To: KeyLargo

41 posted on 01/01/2010 8:03:58 AM PST by Zakeet (America needs ObamaCare like Helen Thomas needs a Halloween mask)
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To: mylife

Yes, by all means, let’s unionize these retards! /s


42 posted on 01/01/2010 8:12:51 AM PST by exit82 (Democrats are the enemy of freedom. Sarah Palin is our Esther.)
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To: Zakeet

That guy will be searched, he did not remove his shoes! /s


43 posted on 01/01/2010 8:23:56 AM PST by rawhide
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To: mylife

Napolitano: "The system worked!"


44 posted on 01/01/2010 8:27:49 AM PST by COBOL2Java (Big government more or less guarantees rule by creeps and misfits.)
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To: VRWC For Truth; B-Chan
I agree with your comment. After wasting billions of dollars, we still have a lack of results from that group.

B-Chan, that comment brought a smile ;)

45 posted on 01/01/2010 8:29:08 AM PST by Sarajevo (You're jealous because the voices only talk to me.)
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To: carmody
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.

There are plenty of professionals in my age group that are working for lower pay than we ever expected. I accepted the offer they gave me, primarily because I was looking to get my foot in the door.

Give me steady work over drawing unemployment any day of the week.

46 posted on 01/01/2010 8:38:02 AM PST by Night Hides Not (If Dick Cheney = Darth Vader, then Joe Biden = Dark Helmet)
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To: ProtectOurFreedom

Don’t ya know, they gotsta watch their Oprah hour , it’s right there in the Union contract.... SARCASM


47 posted on 01/01/2010 8:44:17 AM PST by American Constitutionalist (There is no civility in the way the Communist/Marxist want to destroy the USA)
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To: carmody

I have plenty of high paid people who’ve worked for that were lazy.

The point is taken. Perhaps I should have commented on the high performers typically attracted to this type of govt job.


48 posted on 01/01/2010 8:48:19 AM PST by driftdiver (I could eat it raw, but why do that when I have a fire.)
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To: mylife

DFW DPS told TSA E8 = 0.

“Hey, man! I thought we’s sposed to have an hour n half break evry day!”


49 posted on 01/01/2010 8:50:27 AM PST by Right Wing Assault (The Obama magic is fading.)
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To: ProtectOurFreedom
Perhaps following Rule #1 — do not leave your post until you’ve checked in your replacement? Is that really too much to ask?

Probably not a full-time checkpoint. Terminal E is for the airlines that American hasn't completely squeezed out of DFW yet. Most of them just run a few flights a day into one of their hubs. (10 or so gates have been shut down completely, with the air bridges removed) No flights departing from that area, and the checkpoint may be shut down for a while. Delta, Airtran, Northwest and I think Alaska are in the middle. Continental is in that area, and United is next to them at the end. So if neither Continental nor United had anything going out for a while, it'd make sense to shut it down instead of paying folk to stand around and chat.

50 posted on 01/01/2010 8:50:54 AM PST by PAR35
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To: MizSterious
TSA goes after bloggers reporting on the TSA rule book

Is that the important rule book they seem to ignore?

51 posted on 01/01/2010 8:52:09 AM PST by Right Wing Assault (The Obama magic is fading.)
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To: thesharkboy
gave up and went to my car in the border parking lot

Musta been happy hour for both sides.

52 posted on 01/01/2010 8:53:59 AM PST by Right Wing Assault (The Obama magic is fading.)
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To: carmody

My dear old Dad’s favorite interview question was along the lines of “You’ve got no work to do now, but you’re standing in a filthy room and there’s a broom leaning on the wall. What would you do?”

The answer is as obvious as the nose on your face, but it was remarkable how many people flubbed it because pitching in and pushing a broom was beneath them. Dad would pretty much end the interview on the spot if you answered wrong.


53 posted on 01/01/2010 8:55:08 AM PST by ProtectOurFreedom
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To: mylife

“An immediate review of closed-circuit television tapes verified that no passengers or items entered the sterile area while the gate was unsecure,”

But yet: “Denny said the airport should have been emptied and rescreened passengers.”

This doesn’t make any sense. Review of video confirms no breach but yet brain-dead dolts in charge want to shut-down the entire airport?!

You have got to be kidding me.


54 posted on 01/01/2010 9:01:08 AM PST by Hulka
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To: mylife

The country is in the best of hands.


55 posted on 01/01/2010 9:02:11 AM PST by comps4spice ("Fish have to swim. Birds have to fly. And liberal Democrats have to call their opponents racists".)
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To: Night Hides Not

I know people who are working 2 or 3 jobs in this time of high unemployment. How is it that some people can find 2 or 3 jobs and others can’t seem to find one? Because people with a good work ethic are always in high demand.

It costs a business more money to employ a lazy person with no initiative and an entitlement attitude than it does to leave the position unfilled.


56 posted on 01/01/2010 9:09:51 AM PST by carmody
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To: TiredofItalltoo
Photobucket
57 posted on 01/01/2010 9:48:18 AM PST by getmeouttaPalmBeachCounty_FL (****************************Stop Continental Drift**)
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To: mreerm

Since these are government workers, I assume that this was Suspension WITH PAY.


58 posted on 01/01/2010 10:01:57 AM PST by UnwashedPeasant (Don't nuke me, bro)
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To: driftdiver
Then focus on the misbehavior of the TSA people;there are a lot of others who would love to make $12.50 per hour,but either can't or won't work for that government agency.

If a few players mess up,replace the players;if all the players mess up, replace the coach.I think we need new coaches.

59 posted on 01/02/2010 9:20:29 AM PST by hoosierham (Waddaya mean Freedom isn't free ?;will you take a credit card?)
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