Security has evolved at Southwest Florida International Airport
10:09 PM, Sep. 17, 2012 | Written by Robert S. Cohen
Sept. 17 marked the 10th year since the Transportation Security Administration assumed responsibility for aviation screening operations at Southwest Florida International Airport, one year and six days after the terrorist attacks of 9/11. Then, as now, the dedicated men and women of TSA in Southwest Florida are committed to providing both world class security and world class customer service to the traveling public.
We have conducted dozens of joint operations in coordination with federal, state and local law enforcement partners. TSA provides assets such as explosives detection canines, federal air marshals, transportation security officers and behavior detection officers at locations including Southwest Florida International Airport, Punta Gorda Airport, the Southwest Florida International Air Show, Key West Express, Greyhound and LeeTran. These operations have provided an additional layer of security to these transportation venues as well as strengthened interagency cooperation and operational capability.
Since 2002, TSA has continued to evolve, adding layers of security such as our behavior detection officers. Earlier this year, both Southwest Florida International Airport and Punta Gorda Airport received the latest advanced imaging technology, enhancing our capability by detecting metallic and non-metallic threats concealed on the body while protecting passenger privacy.
This year, Southwest Florida International Airport hosted the first TSA General Aviation Security Summit. Our local office of regulatory compliance, transportation security inspectors, TSA headquarters representatives and our law enforcement partners from the Fort Myers Homeland Security Investigations Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation provided information and recommendations to general aviation airport operators and flight training providers from four neighboring counties.
The depth of expertise in our organization is impressive. Our work force includes a cross-section of our community. The officers wearing the TSA uniform include retired military and law enforcement, business leaders and working mothers, to name a few. One of our transportation security explosives experts recently returned to duty after a tour in Afghanistan as an explosives ordnance technician.
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Does anyone doubt that TSA would be gone in days if people actually had a choice between TSA and another option?
This agency is nothing more than a bloated jobs program feeding on public ignorance and relying on fear mongering to maintain its budget. TSA is inefficient and focused only on its own expansion and not on the mission of airport security.
Some recent reports from Ft. Lauderdale and Miami TSA.
Ft Lauderdale
FLL TSA worker hired two months ago charged with child pornography
NBC Miami, September 13, 2012
Three TSA officers arrested on drug charges in Florida and New York
NY Post, September 13, 2011
FLL TSA agent charged in theft of $450 pen
Sun Sentinel, July 22, 2011
Baby, 18 months old, ordered off plane at Fort Lauderdale airport
WPBF News, May 14, 2012
TSA Agent Nelson Santiago Caught With Passenger’s iPad in His Pants; Allegedly Took $50,000 in Other Goods, Cops Say
Broward-Palm Beach New Times, July. 8 2011
Bungling screeners miss knife on flight from Fort Lauderdale, Fla., to JFK
NY Post, May 11, 2011
FLL Airport: TSA Told Us to Lie About Existence of Security Video
Infowars, March 21, 2012
Miami
TSA officer, Milagros Casanas, arrested for attempted theft, battery and disorderly conduct in Key West
Miami Herald – July 30, 2012
TSA employees charged with trashing South Beach hotel room, shooting gun
Miami Herald, March 28, 2012
Miami TSA officer and his wife charged with stealing from passengers’ luggage
Fox News, January 1, 2012
Cuba complains that guns in luggage checked in at MIA were not stopped.
Miami Herald April 24, 2012