TSA Puts Millions of Dollars of Equipment in Storage

Commenter Mr. Fisher is typical of those who emotional criticism with selected facts, offer no real solutions, then hurl unsubstantiated allegations against U.S. civil servants trying to do their jobs. I hardly think "TSA has done more damage to our liberty, way of life and morality than Al Qaeda could have ever hoped to do and Pistole has been their willing accomplice." How many people has TSA killed, Mr. Fisher, and how? How has TSA damaged the undefined American way of life or its ever changing morality? Representative Chaffetz is correct to praise the FAA/TSA explosives detection canine teams developed with and deployed by local law enforcement at U.S. airports for 20 years, but he is incorrect on their capabilities and use for screening passengers and their bags. Here are a few facts. The canines used are not “bomb sniffing” dogs they are explosives detection dogs. They detect explosives of many types, whether or not they are configured as part of an improvised explosive device or IED, but for only about 20 minutes at a time before their effectiveness deteriorates. They are never used to “sniff” passengers bodies, but do screen their carryon baggage and belongings. And of course they do not detect weapons like firearms and hunting knives, and probably not even grenades, whose small amount of explosives may not be detectable.

Screeners use walk through metal detectors, various types of walk through scanners, hand held metal detectors and finally pat downs to resolve any alarms. Since 1974, each person who purchases a ticket to board a commercial passenger aircraft agrees in advance to be searched for weapons and explosives prior to boarding. Such a search called screening is not an unreasonable search under the Constitution, and has been upheld dozens of times in court challenges over the years. While inherently antiterrorist, the objective is to keep anyone from carrying an unauthorized firearm, dangerous substance, deadly weapon, grenade, improvised explosive device or any explosives on board regardless of their background, intent, religion, nationality, age or political motivation.

The Federal Government developed, funded, and well tested explosives trace detection devices called ETDs detect explosives residue on briefcase or carryon bag handles, zippers, latches, shoe laces, and clothing after the bags have passed through an x-ray device and the passenger has cleared the walk through metal detector with no alarms. Three devices; three levels of screening to prevent explosives and weapons from getting onboard. If the TSA does in fact have surplus ETDs available, then they should be loaned to our allies abroad where there are no TSA screeners, to assist host governments in their screening of passengers boarding U.S. air carriers and foreign air carriers flying to the United States from last point of departure foreign airports. If a bomb with a terrorist flies to the United States from overseas, or explodes in route, it

Courtney44 of NY 3:27PM May 10, 2012