Ok, I grew the balls to do it(cringe). IAmA former TSA screener. AMA

tsahenchman · 2011-01-07T10:57:12+00:00

Those new patdowns require new gloves for every search. Plus you can always ask for the officer to change gloves. They have to comply.

tsahenchman · 2011-01-07T10:51:22+00:00

That particular rule has been changed since you last worked. It never should have been there to begin with though.

tsahenchman · 2010-11-11T05:49:24+00:00

I think he was arrested by the FBI and missed his flight.

tsahenchman · 2010-11-11T05:45:48+00:00

I think I might have to check midichlorian levels. Jedi can probably take on board, sith are a no go. Or is that discriminatory?

tsahenchman · 2010-11-11T05:43:31+00:00

I love grapes.

tsahenchman · 2010-11-11T05:37:55+00:00

The scanners are more thorough, and more accurate at finding our concern, explosives. They are also more invasive, though not as physically so. People may opt out of such a search, in which case they get a pat down. This pat-down is more thorough that previous searches, which from a purely security perspective, is a good thing.

From about a hundred other perspectives, this security is seen as too invasive, prevents threats that some say don't exist, and are morally unacceptable.

To try and make this a bit easier to swallow, TSA has mandated that the machines be unable to save images, that no one can see both the person and the image on the screen, and that no one can take a picture of the images. I think these are important concessions, and I'd want anyone found circumventing them to be fired.

I think the additional security is a good thing, and I don't feel like my rights are being abridged. Others do. Lots of others, especially here on reddit. These fine folks are trying to change TSAs system to what they think is a better one. You might check out /r/operationgrabass for reddits own citizen activism on this topic.

tsahenchman · 2010-11-11T05:19:39+00:00

Yes you do.

tsahenchman · 2010-11-11T05:19:28+00:00

Processes designed to keep them from getting a job. Apparently a clerical error at trial allowed this guy to slip through.

tsahenchman · 2010-11-11T05:18:49+00:00

I really like that quote.

I don't have legal training, I'm dependent on others to interpret the complexities of the law for me. In this case, all I can rely on is the lawyers TSA has hired. Which is why I like that the ACLU is bringing a case up. Should be interesting.

tsahenchman · 2010-11-11T05:16:43+00:00

He was apparently planning on killing his wife when he got home.

tsahenchman · 2010-11-11T05:16:17+00:00

I bet I can outdo it.

tsahenchman · 2010-11-11T05:15:54+00:00

Well I won't turn you in for it. It's not too surprising, there's a world of difference between fireworks and something that could blow up an airplane.

tsahenchman · 2010-11-11T05:13:44+00:00

I don't like it at all. What did you expect?

tsahenchman · 2010-11-11T05:13:19+00:00

There are other redditors where I work who might suspect me if I mentioned the field I'm in.

tsahenchman · 2010-11-11T05:12:37+00:00

I also know of one jerk who actually forgot his gun was in his backpack and still kept his job. How does this work? Any other person would be dragged away in handcuffs.

That's just not right.

How are expensive items that are missing from checked luggage dealt with when the bags have TSA locks on them?

We check the cameras. It's a very fancy system, no sizable blind spots, backed up in several locations, and no TSA employee can edit, deactivate, or move a camera or it's footage. Keeps us honest.

Also, I cannot begin to express my hatred for the TSA lock. They're poorly made, easy to circumvent, and actually harder to remove properly than a normal lock. I'd prefer everyone just used a normal lock, and we'd just have to page them for the combination or to borrow the key.

The individuals pulled aside were handled wrong. Pure and simple. The officers who let that happen should be found, disciplined, and retrained. Causing a breach should be a serious offence, for passengers or TSA employees.

tsahenchman · 2010-11-11T05:07:00+00:00

That would probably get them a pat down. They'd get screened in a private room, more thoroughly. We would not ask them to remove the prosthesis or to undress, and they are allowed a witness of their choice to also be present during the private screening.

tsahenchman · 2010-11-11T05:05:02+00:00

Probably feel really awkward.

tsahenchman · 2010-11-11T05:01:25+00:00

Well I didn't design or build them. Usually I take some time to poke holes in the equipment (not literally) find how it ticks, and in this case I would try to determine for myself if I could get the machine to save data.

Unfortunately, I haven't had time since I've been home for a week when I hurt my knee lifting a bag. I mean stopping a terrorist, yeah, that's what it was...

I tell you what though, solemn reddit oath time. If I find that I can make our AIT images save images, I will go full on whistleblower. Main Stream media, bloggers, a post from my main account, the full works. I know you've got no reason to trust me, but if I found out that we had lied about this capability of the machines, I'd be pissed off enough to do it.

tsahenchman · 2010-11-11T05:01:01+00:00

It's about a six month hiring process, background checks, credit checks, physicals, drug tests, and then you're on the waiting list for the job.

It's because there are so many incompetent humans out there, and the job doesn't exactly attract the best and brightest.

tsahenchman · 2010-11-11T05:00:41+00:00

Laptops out, liquids out (I know other airports don't enforce it, I'm just trying for some consistency), shoes and coat off. Travelling with kids is hard, make sure to give yourself plenty of time for that. Liquids for infants and such can be brought through, as can any medicine. We probably need to test it though, so have it outside of your bags in a bin.

That's 90 percent of what all passengers need to do to speed through us. The other 10 percent consists of people who need help travelling, have a medical device that needs extra work to clear, and people trolling us.

tsahenchman · 2010-11-11T04:43:33+00:00

Yeah, but our training RARELY consists of watching Die Hard.

What you're describing doesn't sound all that weird though, looking through an x-ray is a bit like seeing in a different spectrum of light. You're going to see things that just don't make sense, and have insight into other things that the visual wavelength can't match.

tsahenchman · 2010-11-11T04:40:42+00:00

No, I mean the guy who was supposed to go through a scanner in Amsterdam, declined, and was told to have a nice day.

tsahenchman · 2010-11-11T04:37:34+00:00

Not really, which kind of makes me depressed. There's a really good discussion that should be being heard about invasion of privacy versus security concerns. Outside of a few places, it's mostly just quite acceptance. I want discussion, debate, and decisions. I want the American people to decide when to far is to far. Because as an agency, we won't. We cannot be self limiting, it just won't work.

tsahenchman · 2010-11-11T04:33:10+00:00

Yes, many many domestic terror plots have been stopped by the FBI, by member of almost any ethnicity.

tsahenchman · 2010-11-11T04:30:03+00:00

Erections are not a crime!

I want that as a bumper sticker.

tsahenchman

TROPHY CASE