HOMELAND INSECURITY -- TSA CHIEF OUSTED

[HairOfTheDog]

This is discouraging.


TSA Chief Melvin Carraway ^ has resigned after a report revelaed that TSA agents failed to detect mock weapons at security checkpoints 95% of the time. He's being transferred to another Federal LE post.

Airport screeners, who are employees of the TSA, did not detect banned weapons in 67 of 70 tests at dozens of airports, according to officials briefed on a report by Homeland Security's inspector general.



In one of the tests, an undercover agent was stopped when he set off an alarm but TSA screeners failed to find a fake explosive device TAPED TO HIS BACK. Jesus.

Acting Deputy Director Mark Hatfield will lead the TSA until a new acting administrator was appointed.

On a related note, I've read a couple of news pieces over the past months about how more guns than ever are being brought to airports by passengers; the number one excuse being, "I forgot I had it". The problem is especially bad in Florida and Texas.

I'm not sure what percentage of gun-toting passengers are actually detected, but here are the stats for guns removed from passengers at screening check points recently.

-Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport: 120
-Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport: 109
-Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport : 78
-George Bush Intercontinental Airport (Outside Houston): 77
-Denver International Airport: 70
-William P. Hobby Airport (Outside Houston): 50
-Tampa International Airport: 49
-Ft. Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport: 49
-Nashville International Airport: 48
-Orlando International Airport: 47

Refs:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-...z3bvKEBcQx
http://www.local10.com/news/TSA-on-risin...m/26009342

[Duchess]

TSA agents failed to detect mock weapons at security checkpoints 95% of the time.

Doesn't surprise me at all.

Many people that fly believe they will never be a statistic and think the chances of something horrible happening are slim to none so they take that chance.

I won't fly again until we have security like Israel and that's never going to happen, nevah. I'm okay with being landlocked forevermore.

[Maggot]

The TSA agents should be required to go and work at an Israeli airport for 2 weeks before getting that shiny new badge. I believe profiling is a useful tool that should be used.

[Blindgreed1]

In HS's defense, they have everyone's phone records so they probably just planned on calling anyone who meant harm.

[Maggot]

Maybe some hottie was used and the screeners were not paying attention to the right "package" when they were scanned.

[Jimbone]

You guys are over-reacting. They only missed 96% of them... they caught the other 4%.

Sheesh, cut them a break.

[SIXFOOTERsez]

Missed a lot of bombs, but they damn sure collected a lot of mouthwash, toothpaste, cologne and shampoo, Oh and several cans of chocolate sauce.

[Carsman]

Maybe some hottie was used and the screeners were not paying attention to the right "package" when they were scanned.

Shit Happens!

[Blindgreed1]

Missed a lot of bombs, but they damn sure collected a lot of mouthwash, toothpaste, cologne and shampoo, Oh and several cans of chocolate sauce.

The day the shoe bomber got caught I was flying home out of Ronald Regan in DC. I had picked up a case of Polo black to give to the groomsman as a gift from the best man. Pissed off doesn't adequately explain how I felt about the new policy.