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TSA Union Calls For Armed Guards At Every Checkpoint

Posted by timothy on from the more-effective-than-at-the-post-office dept.

Hugh Pickens DOT Com writes "Brian Tumulty writes at USA Today that the union representing airport screeners for the Transportation Security Administration says Friday's fatal shooting of an agent at Los Angeles International Airport highlights the need for armed security officers at every airport checkpoint. The screeners, who earn up to $30,000 annually, have not requested to carry guns themselves, but they do want an armed security officer present at every checkpoint says J. David Cox Sr., president of the American Federation of Government Employees, which represents the screeners. "Every local airport has its own security arrangement with local police to some type of contract security force," says Cox. "There is no standardization throughout the country. Every airport operates differently. Obviously at L.A. there were a fair number of local police officers there." Congress may investigate the issue but Sen. Tom Carper, the chairman of the Senate Homeland Security Committee, says that "there will be an appropriate time — after all the facts have been gathered and thoughtfully analyzed —to review existing policy and procedure to see what, if anything, can be learned from this unfortunate incident to help prevent future tragedies." TSA officials say that they don't anticipate a change in the agency security posture at the moment, but "passengers may see an increased presence of local law enforcement officers throughout the country.""

3 of 603 comments (clear)

  1. NOT posted as AC. by MickyTheIdiot · · Score: -1, Flamebait

    fuck you, TSA. This is not the answer.

    1. Re: NOT posted as AC. by Joining+Yet+Again · · Score: -1, Flamebait

      Yeah, never mind the people who flew the planes into the buildings.

      Never mind the capitalists who saw to profit from inappropriate military responses and lobbied to high heaven. (Some of them even claimed to have a direct hotline to God.)

      Never mind the government who overreacted and tore the plush rug of freedom from under American feet.

      Let's blame the grunts at the bottom who need a job and who, quite sensibly, realise that the best place to kill a large group of civilians now is AT the checkpoint.

  2. Re:Mod Parent Up by sycodon · · Score: -1, Flamebait

    Somebody is a bit touchy today, aren't we?

    Maybe you should read about a cancer victim who has effectively had their access taken away by Obamacare.

    Can't stand for people to learn the REAL impact of Obamacare, can you?

    --
    When Fascism comes to America, it will call itself Anti-Fascism, and tell you to give up your guns.