Two Airports Ask for Private Screeners

[Judi Lynn]

Two Airports Ask for Private Screeners
By LESLIE MILLER, Associated Press Writer

Thursday, July 28, 2005
(07-28) 01:16 PDT WASHINGTON (AP) --

Airport officials complain about federal security screeners, but only two airports so far have asked to switch to privately employed workers.

For the past nine months, airports have been able to apply to the government to opt out of the federal screening system, but only Sioux Falls Regional Airport in South Dakota and Elko Regional Airport in Nevada have done so.

The House Homeland Security subcommittee that covers infrastructure protection was holding a hearing Thursday to examine why.

The Transportation Security Administration, created after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, was ordered by Congress to replace private screeners hired by airlines with a better-paid and better-trained federal work force. Mike Marnach, director of the Sioux Falls airport, said it is time to try something other than the government model.
(snip/...)

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2005/07/28/national/w011641D53.DTL

[bluestateguy]

1. Thanks fr posting this

Now I'll know not to fly through those two airports.

[annabanana]

2. about the Federal Screeners"model":

"We like it, it's OK, but I'm not sure it's the most efficient for the taxpayer," Marnach said. The airport plans the switch in the fall.

"efficient for the taxpayer" = cheap labor

[KeepItReal]

4. "not efficient for taxpayer" = My Buddy's Security Company Gets a Contract

Remember it is all about the hookup with Bush & Co.

[brainshrub]

3. Never trust a corporation when lives are on the line.

The purpose of all corporations is to internalize profit and externalize costs. If this means they have to cut corners at the expense of security, they will do it.

The cost of using public employees might be higher, but that's because the government's accounting model must reflect the actual cost of providing a service; unlike a private companies accounting where everything is skewed to maximize profits for the owners or stockholders.

[smb]

5. The Choice

Expensive staff who stand around and pretend to provide security versus cheap staff who stand around and pretend to provide security.

[LibDemAlways]

7. I'm with you.

There was a story on the news this morning about a retired 62-year-old female Wisconsin schoolteacher who was convicted of "assaulting a federal officer" this week and could be sentenced to up to a year in jail and fined $100,000 for snapping during a humiliating public "feel-up" at a small, regional Wisconsin airport and touching the screener's breasts in response to having hers pawed.

Whether its done by the feds or by underpaid private stooges doesn't really matter. As currently carried out, airport "security" is anything but.

[KansDem]

6. That's all we need...

To be felt up by someone who only 6 months earlier decided to go into the "exciting world of airport security" after seeing that "call 1-800 now!" infomercial on afternoon TeeVee... :eyes: