"Airport cops worry about TSA screeners' badges"

Monday, June 16, 2008

Airport cops worry about screeners' badges
United Press International


WASHINGTON, (UPI) -- U.S. airport police officers say they're worried about
a move by federal transportation officials to give badges and police-style
shirts to security screeners. 

Local airport police officers carry guns and have powers of arrest while
security screeners employed by the U.S. Transportation Security
Administration don't and some officers say a plan to issue official-looking
badges and clothing to the screeners will confuse air travelers, USA Today
reported Monday.

"A lot of cops at airports are not real thrilled about it," Duane McGray of
the Airport Law Enforcement Agencies Network, a police association, told the
newspaper. "It's another way of saying (to airport police), 'You're not
important.'"

The network's president, Paul Mason, said his group worries that passengers
will expect badge-wearing screeners to handle crimes, predicting, "There are
going to be some growing pains on the part of the (screeners) and police."

TSA Deputy Administrator Gale Rossides told USA Today the agency has no
interest in giving screeners law enforcement powers, adding, "We coupled the
badges with the communications training to make it clear to our officers
that they're there to facilitate our passengers."

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