This is TSA’s reaction to the incident at Lambert St. Louis Airport:
At approximately 6:50 p.m. on March 29, 2009, a metal box alarmed the X-ray machine at Lambert-St. Louis International Airport, triggering the need for additional screening. Because the box contained a number of items including a large amount of cash, all of which needed to be removed to be properly screened, it was deemed more appropriate to continue the screening process in a private area. A Transportation Security Administration (TSA) employee and members of the St. Louis Airport Police Department can be heard on the audio recording. The tone and language used by the TSA employee was inappropriate. TSA holds its employees to the highest professional standards. TSA will continue to investigate this matter and take appropriate action.
Movements of large amounts of cash through the checkpoint may be investigated by law enforcement authorities if criminal activity is suspected. As a general rule, passengers are required to cooperate with the screening process. Cooperation may involve answering questions about their property, including why they are carrying a large sum of cash. A passenger who refuses to answer questions may be referred to appropriate authorities for further inquiry.
Bob
Evolution of Security: Incident at St. Louis International Airport
Let me start this by saying I have been a law enforcement professional for 15 years. And this just plain doesn’t add up.
I don’t have a problem with them pulling the passenger aside to conduct a more thorough search of the metal box. Understandable. But as soon as they found that it contained cash, and lacking any other supporting information to the contrary, the encounter should have ended there. Unless the person who was seized agrees to stay and discuss making it a consensual encounter, not a seizure.
If for some reason the TSA has additional information they are not sharing with the public due to an investigation, they should have said so.
Bottom line is, if I want to carry cash on my person I can. Without any more information than that, there can be no suspicion of a crime.
The TSA is in violation of this man’s rights as guaranteed under the Fourth Amendment to the Constitution. Period. They are simply playing damage control and trying to cover their backsides.
The only crime here was committed by the TSA and absolutely brilliantly recorded by the victim.
The TSA, while they may be staffed by private contractors, are acting as agents for the Federal Government, who this very amendment was written to protect us from.
H/T: Below the Beltway
