Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Denver TSA Screeners Manipulated System In Order To Grope Men's Genitals

Posted by Soulskill on from the classiest-thing-you'll-read-about-the-TSA-all-week dept.

McGruber writes: The CBS affiliate in Denver reports: "Two Transportation Security Administration screeners at Denver International Airport have been fired after they were discovered manipulating passenger screening systems to allow a male TSA employee to fondle the genital areas of attractive male passengers." According to law enforcement reports obtained during the CBS4 investigation, a male TSA screener told a female colleague in 2014 that he "gropes" male passengers who come through the screening area at DIA. "He related that when a male he finds attractive comes to be screened by the scanning machine he will alert another TSA screener to indicate to the scanning computer that the party being screened is a female. When the screener does this, the scanning machine will indicate an anomaly in the genital area and this allows (the male TSA screener) to conduct a pat-down search of that area." Although the TSA learned of the accusation on Nov. 18, 2014 via an anonymous tip from one of the agency's own employees, reports show that it would be nearly three months before anything was done."

4 of 294 comments (clear)

  1. Why no charges? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Seems like it is sexual assault.

    If I am hired to set up a security checkpoint in front of a bar, I could do security pat downs without it being sexual. If, on the other hand, I intentionally manipulated the system to pat down attractive bar patrons for my own gratification, I'm pretty sure I would be arrested and end up on some sort of sex offender list.

    Why didn't the TSA refer this to law enforcement?

  2. Pretty safe bet this happens everywhere. by Noishkel · · Score: 4, Interesting

    We've seen a number of stories involving TSA agents being arrested for any number of crimes. Everything from assault, to child pornography, to murder. This shouldn't be a surprise at all. Which is not to say that all TSA agents ARE the scum that they tend to be made out to be. But it's a worrying program.

    In terms of this kind of activities detailed in this story... well hell. I know from talking with a former TSA employee that this sort of thing is VERY common. I've even meet a former TSA agent that not only admits doing this at an airport in California. But he did it aallll the time. And he wasn't the only one doing it.

    1. Re:Pretty safe bet this happens everywhere. by Imagix · · Score: 4, Interesting

      Well... are the number of murdering TSA agents greater than other professions? However, in this particular case, why aren't the two of them arrested and charged for the sexual assaults? For this, let the courts decide, not the DA. So what if the victim cannot be identified? Convenient that the person who was assaulted wasn't asked for their information. As for "nobody else has complained", the remaining people would have the understanding that this is _supposed_ to be happening. They were theoretically following the lawful commands of the TSA agent. Since it turns out that they were not lawful, then the agent should be arrested for the sexual assault as well as whatever statute covers the agent in exceeding their authority. "Held accountable". Hah. Merely firing them is insufficient.

  3. Re:Keeping score by aaron4801 · · Score: 4, Interesting

    "After controlling for time trends, weather, road conditions, and other factors, we attribute an increase of 242 driving fatalities per month to additional road travel undertaken in response to 9/11."
    It's highly likely that more people have died due to the response to terrorism than from actual terrorism in the US.