Mailing List lml@lancaironline.net Message #50565
From: John Cooper <snopercod@citcom.net>
Sender: <marv@lancaironline.net>
Subject: Re: TSA Hell is Starting!
Date: Sun, 01 Mar 2009 17:29:17 -0500
To: <lml@lancaironline.net>
It's my belief that the Federal Air Marshals are the only actual 'Federal LEOs' in the TSA, and most TSA people are just rent-a-cops with no actual legal authority. You'll note that when you try and carry a prohibited item through airport security,  the TSA screener calls a *real* police officer to deal with you. (I know, I did it once by accident.) Somebody please correct me if I'm wrong about this, but the first think I would ask if approached by a TSA worker is, "Are you a law enforcement officer?"

A *real* Federal LEO is required to comply with any U.S. citizen's request for proper ID.  Technically, federal agents must be identifiable from the moment of making any statement that is an exercise of the authority of their dept. within the law.  (This would be why you see the badge or apparel labels.) Now the TSA people all have uniforms, but that doesn't make them LEOs.

All federal LEOs should carry a mini-binder about 4 x 6 inches, which should include a badge, photo ID, and U.S. code sections that authorize them to do what they are doing.  Probably the best way to find out  would be is to locate a TSA agent, and ask if he is a federal agent, and if so, would he mind going through the formal ID procedure -  IOW, you would like to see his formal ID badge and citations of the U.S. code under which authority he acts.

It sounds to me like the TSA person who accosted warren hogge was trying to impersonate a federal officer - a crime.
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