This one also starts with a senior citizen (or at least a "grandmother," most of whom are fairly senior) setting off an alarm. The report isn't clear whether this was a body scanner or the metal detector, but either way, Granny was getting a patdown. As she waited, her alleged co-conspirator ran over and gave her a hug. Since her grandmother hadn't yet cleared security, this was technically a breach of protocol, the concern being that the unsecured person might pass a weapon to the person who's already been cleared. Given the situation, though, this risk was probably pretty damn low, and so the TSA agents calmly and respectfully dealt with the situation.

Again, totally kidding. This does happen sometimes (TSA agents acting respectfully, I mean), but this wasn't one of those times.

Read all about it.

To misquote Foghorn Leghorn: "Them TSA folks is about as sharp as a bowling ball."

With the names of the subjects not properly disclosed, I cannot easily assess the potential threat this family actually posed to the safety of other passengers.

Did mom ask 4 yr old to go hug granny (and bring her handgun to her)in view of the TSA agent?

They could have "intercepted" a telephone or internet communication from members of the family that caused additional concern.

Did anyone screen Grandma, 4 year-old, and the TSA agents against the OFAC list?

If not, they should have....

NCIS: Los Angeles had an interesting play on the TSA last night.

They are not a bank so they do not need to comply

Yes it was done when they checked the no fly list and at employment for the agent. But they could have re-checked when the got to the airport.

TSA are easy targets, kind of like compliance officers. Some of the things that they do makes very little sense, but yet they have been given that task to complete the best way that they can.

Is it ridiculous that a half empty 3.25oz container of shampoo gets confiscated at the checkpoint? Yep. Some think it is also ridiculous that we have to give customers a handful of disclosures to open a checking account or that we have to fill out a CTR for each cash transaction over $10,000 but we would never think of allowing exceptions to those rules would we?

I've had my shares of run ins with the TSA and I like to joke about them as much as the next guy, but I do try to remember that they have been given a very difficult job and for the most part are just trying to follow the rules they have been given. Just like there's no room for exceptions in the name of common sense when it comes to compliance with bank regulations, I can understand how they must feel sometimes.

Just a story to show that all TSA employees are not evil...

Last year I was going through security at Southwest Int'l Airport in Ft Myers, Fl. Ahead of me was a mother with two children (girl probably 12 and boy early teens). The girl's backpack was flagged and they pulled her to the side. The mother and the boy took off somewhere so here stood a 12 year old girl, looking scared to death with her mother no where to be found. And I was right there so I know they didn't tell the mother to go wait somewhere else. One of the TSA agents took a look at the girl and went over and talked to her. Told her that it would be okay and told her why they needed to look at her bag. He was very good with her. I have no idea where the mother got off to.

RR Sarah, that is my local airport.

They try to do a pretty good job at the Ft. Myers Airport.

On my last business trip out of the Ft. Myers Airport, my keys fell out my bag on the shuttle from the long term lot to the terminal and until I got back I didn't realize they were gone. I checked my bags and nothing. Just on the wild chance someone might have found them, I checked with Security and the shuttle driver actually found them and turned them into lost and found at security, so I got them back.

Needless to say, they saved me considerable time, money, and effort and I am very appreciative.

did you drop your change purse too?

It's European!

Actually, some of these stories remind me of overzealous examiners especially for BSA. Like the infamous examiner who told banks they needed to have an employee STAND AROUND in an MSB's place of business for a week to observe activity, or to follow a customer's delivery truck to verify the deliveries were legitimate. (Yes - I have met this examiner, and yes, those WERE actual requirements that were made.)

I think I know that examiner.....

i wonder how someone who had already been cleared by the TSA could possibly have a handgun or some other form of weapon?

On the other side, news story today of TSA agents that were paid to look the other way when drugs were being shipped through US airports...oops, that may just be illegal

I think it would be a matter of the uncleared person passing something to the already cleared person. After the contact, I can see why they would have to clear both individuals again.

I was listening to the Joe Pags show on the radio last night and he was interviewing Quico Canseco (R) Texas (congressman) about his last two flights out of San Antonio, in fact they were the last two sundays. Apparently the first time, after going through the body scanner, Canseco was told he needed to be patted down. The TSA agent while doing an aggressive pat down, knocked him in his privates, he said it was an automatic reaction to move the object hurting him away. The TSA agent then called for a manager saying that he had been assaulted. I guess it went back and forth for awhile, the TSA agent wanted to press charges against the congressman, who in turn said he would then like to press charges. At that time the whole matter was dropped. The following sunday he was again pulled for a pat down. He refused, and was told even if he decided to not get on his flight, he would not be allowed to leave without getting patted down. He did say he did not reveal that he was a member of congress, but that they did have all of his identification. Unfortunately I missed the end of the interview due to the start of football practice. It all seems a little excessive to me.

This situation is quite a bit different than over zealous bank examiners. When was the last time an examiner yelled at a kid in your bank's lobby or accosted your customers as they tried to get into a safe deposit box?

And the correlation of the examiner confronting a customer or kid is comparing Apple's to PC's.

Well, the examiner that I know of actually hurled a large 3-ring binder at a bank employee during a "discussion." The employee had to duck to avoid being hit in the head.

The examiner is still employed by the agency.

Also - the comparison was originally of compliance officers to TSA Agents - and I would venture to say that I have not heard of a compliance officer yelling at someone's kid or accosting customers. However, I have seen examiners get into physical confrontations during contentious exams.

What I was getting at, Ed, was that the TSA is doing this stuff to the customers of the airlines. If the government felt there was a risk of people blowing up banks with bombs in safe deposit boxes you might find out fairly quickly how appropriate my analogy is, my Sweet.

http://articles.cnn.com/2011-12-08/world/world_europe_germany-deutsche-bank-bomb_1_anarchist-group-bank-bomb-letter-bombs?_s=PM:EUROPE

one of several stories

Besides the TSA much like the NSA is working for you.

Ed, I'm not saying it doesn't happen. I'm saying if the government considers it a risk at the same level as airplanes being flown into buildings, might start seeing screening for safe deposit box entry. (Are you really Shemp in real life. You seem to be about as obstinate as him.)

Buggs - I read Ed's point to be that both the TSA and examiners have the ability to abuse their "customers" based on the position and power they wield. And while, ultimately, you may be exonerated after either causes you problems, it is usually only after a painful process yo have been through.

Yes, a TSA guy may squeeze the twins just because he's a jerk, hoping you react so he can make an issue. Yes, an examiner may make a non-valid request that causes a bank to jump through hoops for no reason other than the examiner is a jerk.

If the TSA was really about preventing terrorism, every single person flying would be going through the full body scan, no exception. Their role is to give the illusion of safety...and to collect all the loose change people leave.

One time an examiner made me do push ups just to see how many I could do.