Per CNN: TSA to phase in new pat-down procedures at airports nationwide

[Popeman38]

http://www.cnn.com/2010/TRAVEL/10/28/airline.security.pat.down/index.html?hpt=T2

Rosemary Fitzpatrick, a CNN employee, said she was subjected to a pat-down at the Orlando, Florida, airport on Wednesday night after her underwire bra set off a magnetometer. She said she was taken to a private area and searched, with transportation screening officers telling her the pat-down was a new procedure.

According to Fitzpatrick, a female screener ran her hands around her breasts, over her stomach, buttocks and her inner thighs, and briefly touched her crotch.

"I felt helpless, I felt violated, and I felt humiliated," Fitzpatrick said, adding that she was reduced to tears at the checkpoint. She particularly objected to the fact that travelers were not warned about the new procedures.

Fitzpatrick sent an e-mail complaint about her experience to the TSA that said the agency needs to get the word out so that travelers know their rights.

The TSA employees "conducted themselves in a professional manner, so my complaint is not about them professionally," Fitzpatrick wrote.

I say good. You are warned that you are subject to additional screening when you enter the security area. This lady claims to have felt violated, and then says that the TSA employees acted very professionally and she has no issue with them.

This physical pat-down did not take place in the middle of everyone else. They took her to a segregated, private area. Her underwire bra set of the wand.

Thoughts?

[More Complete]

A pat down is no big deal. They do this (though not very well) before you enter FedEx Field, perfectly acceptable before you get on a plane.

[TheLongshot]

A pat down is no big deal. They do this (though not very well) before you enter FedEx Field, perfectly acceptable before you get on a plane.

To be fair, they don't do that degree of patdown at stadiums and music venues. Mostly they do arms and torso and I'm not sure if they do the same for women.

[generaltso]

they usually have that wand thing too.

pretty soon we're gonna need to pay a cover at the airport to get through security.

[Popeman38]

they usually have that wand thing too.

pretty soon we're gonna need to pay a cover at the airport to get through security.

Pretty sure they used the wand, and her underwire bra set it off. That is what led to needing the pat down.

[JimboDaMan]

A pat down is no big deal. They do this (though not very well) before you enter FedEx Field, perfectly acceptable before you get on a plane.

What? Did you actually read the article? I go to all the home games and the dude patting me down has never touched my arse or my junk, so its not at all the same thing. Maybe you shoukl try a different gate.

[Popeman38]

I know when we trained to do pat downs on foreign nationals for a deployment, we were taught to thoroughly search them. If it was a same-sex pat down, you used the inside of your hands and firmly ran them around the entire torso, each leg, each arm, and of course, the crotch. If it was an opposite sex pat down (of course, the LAST resort) you did the same search, except you used the back of your hands. You lose the ability to grope, but you maintain the ability to notice any non-normal bulges.

I seriously have no problem with more thorough searches at airports. Pat me down. Wand me. Have me go through the explosive detection device. Have me go through the device where you can see through clothes. As long as you subject everyone to the same screening process there can be no complaints. And if you are really offended by all of this, drive. or take the train. Or take a boat. These are optional activities. This woman was flying as part of her job. You really think she didn't know she would be traveling for work?

[More Complete]

What? Did you actually read the article? I go to all the home games and the dude patting me down has never touched my arse or my junk, so its not at all the same thing. Maybe you shoukl try a different gate.

I know it’s not as thorough as that but it’s still a pat down as a security measure. That this CNN employee felt “violated” and “helpless” says more about her than it does about TSA’s practices.

I seriously have no problem with more thorough searches at airports. Pat me down. Wand me. Have me go through the explosive detection device. Have me go through the device where you can see through clothes. As long as you subject everyone to the same screening process there can be no complaints. And if you are really offended by all of this, drive. or take the train. Or take a boat. These are optional activities. This woman was flying as part of her job. You really think she didn't know she would be traveling for work?

Agree.

[Ken]

They have been doing the 'enhanced' pat down for months. Everytime i refuse the DNA shredder I get this treatment. It is wonderful. I love being treated like a criminal just to get on a plane. It only happens at the smaller airports where they have completely phased in the DNA Shredder. When I go through Vegas, for some reason, the metal detector is all that is used.

Go figure.

[da#1skinsfan]

Boo hoo. Guess what - when you go to an airport you will be subject to searches...from mild to wild. Get used to it people. If you dont want to chance it, dont fly. There are plenty of other forms of transportation. Tired of these idiots in the news.

[Special K]

I don't care about pat downs at an airport. However, I don't have much faith in the TSA employees doing the pat downs.

[Ryman of the North]

the Israelis method of profiling helps eliminate all these procedures and its more cost effective as well. pity we dont learn from mistakes rather than repeat them.

[More Complete]

They have been doing the 'enhanced' pat down for months. Everytime i refuse the DNA shredder I get this treatment. It is wonderful. I love being treated like a criminal just to get on a plane. It only happens at the smaller airports where they have completely phased in the DNA Shredder. When I go through Vegas, for some reason, the metal detector is all that is used.

Go figure.

What is this DNA shredder you speak of?

[More Complete]

Anyone else know of this terrible sounding DNA shredder? :whoknows:

[Tulane Skins Fan]

Useless without pics.

Also, I found this funny:

"I am appalled and disgusted at the new search procedures and the fact that passengers have not been made aware of the new invasive steps prior to entering the security area," Fitzpatrick wrote. "It appears once you enter the security area, passengers forfeit their rights. There were no signs, video information, etc. at the entrance of the security area the airport. Why?"

Its funny because that's exactly what you do when you choose to fly on a plane... forfeit your rights to be free from search and seizure. That's well-settled.

[techboy]

Anyone else know of this terrible sounding DNA shredder? :whoknows:

He's no doubt talking about the new full body scanners the TSA is using in many airports. Current policy is that one can refuse (many people don't like it because it renders what is effectively a naked picture of the occupant, albeit with the face blurred out), but doing so subjects the person to a full pat down.

[Thiebear]

My underwire boxerbriefs do this all the time also.

The trick is to peruse each gate till you find a checker of worthiness.

[Ken]

What is this DNA shredder you speak of?

How terahertz waves tear apart DNA

http://www.technologyreview.com/blog/arxiv/24331/

This technology is used in some of the full body scanners. So while it is true that these devices give off less radiation than your cell phone, they do something far worse in the long run.

[twa]

Indeed

I still vote for flying naked.

[JMS]

The only thing "New" in these procedures is now they have women officers do them, and they take the women into a private room. Back in 2003-4 when they first started these intrusvie searches male officers did them if they were the onese in line and they did them in front of the other passengers.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6617853/

I remember when a former GOP Congresswoman get groped by a TSA agent and raised holly heck about it. The TSA said they wouldn't comment on their pat down procedures so as not to tip off Al Quada.

[Rocky21]

I will never subject myself to a full body scan but you can irradiate yourself as much as you'd like.

The terrorists are trending toward explosive packages on planes and we ratchet up the screening procedures on passengers. Nice.

[Special K]

The terrorists are trending toward explosive packages on planes and we ratchet up the screening procedures on passengers. Nice.

How do you know we aren't ratcheting up security on multiple levels? There are a lot of security procedures that are not made fully public...

[Bang]

I will never subject myself to a full body scan but you can irradiate yourself as much as you'd like.

The terrorists are trending toward explosive packages on planes and we ratchet up the screening procedures on passengers. Nice.

Considering that they caught all three bomb packages sent over the weekend, then I'd suggest they've also ramped up how they inspect cargo. We just don't know it because it doesn't directly affect us like a search does.

~Bang

[Rocky21]

I'm all for subjecting packages to more scrutiny...a little less for subjecting me to additional invasive search procedures.

[Tulane Skins Fan]

I'm all for subjecting packages to more scrutiny...a little less for subjecting me to additional invasive search procedures.

Are you for being safe on planes? I'm not big into violations of fourth amendment, but i do seem to remember a couple shoe bombers walking onto planes in the last few years.