A Touchy TSA Issue
Ok one more serious article, then we’ll be back to some fun travel stuff this week, or whenever I get around to it. I took some time to digest it to consider whether it was really worth writing out, and I that it is.
On Wednesday, July 23rd, after bringing my Mom to the Denver airport I requested a gate pass in order to help her with her carry ons. I wrote in my subsequent post, (while also highlighting this goofy TSA sticker,) that passing through security without the obligation to actually fly lends the opportunity to be far more observant than you otherwise would. As it currently stands, any questioning of a TSA officer or procedures can lead to retaliatory detainment and searches, causing you to miss your flight and/or a lengthy detainment. Since it was after 10pm the south terminal checkpoint was desolate. I didn’t need to fly, and had nowhere to be until 8am.
After I cleared the x-ray and put my shoes back on I stepped back to wait for my mom, and noticed a severely developmentally disabled child in a wheelchair aside a female TSA agent. (Or TSOs as they label themselves on their blog.)
This agent was visually inspecting the wheelchair and probing around some cushions as expected, but then she did something that I would never expect: She took an ETD (Explosive Trace Detection) Swab, and repeatedly rubbed the child’s face with the swab. She did this a few times with the swab attached to the plastic forceps. I don’t recall her putting the swab IN the machine, but after finishing she gently caressed the child’s face a few times with her hand – which I thought was equally as strange.
The mother was still clearing the x-ray and gathering her things at the belt. (I’m assuming this was the child’s mom.) She was also watching after two other children and dividing her attention between them, collecting their bags, and this child about 20 feet away in the corner.
Finding this quite appauling and disrespectful to the child, I really wanted to say something to the agent, or at least express my curiousity. However I didn’t feel comfortable verbally jumping into the situation since the family was trying to catch a flight. And the mother was aware of where this child was and glancing over every few seconds. - so it wasn’t as if the kid was locked away in an isolated room with the TSA. (An even scarier thought.) It appeared is though they’ve been through the process before, and I certainly didn’t want to cause the family any delay.
We followed them down to the trains which access to the concourses. I was itching to at least politely ask the mother if this had occurred before, but she had her hands full, and since she was completely aware of the procedure I didn’t feel it was any of my business. They entered a separate car and we parted ways.
Now this TSA officer was not being forceful or rude, and was actually quite gentle and friendly with the child. However the act of rubbing a child’s face with a substance bothered me. A fully able bodied person would never consent to having their FACE rubbed with a dabber or swabber. A person in a wheelchair who is cognizant and articulate would not allow this. Why should a wheelchair bound child who can’t speak for themself be subjected to this? Granted this only lasted about 15 seconds, but I didn’t think it was right or appropriate on the part of the TSA.
I’m sending this article to the TSA’s blog and just questioning this practice. I’m simply curious: Is it customary to swab SKIN, or CHILDREN’S FACES with ETD swabs? Have other people had their faces and skin swabbed? Why on earth would a facial swab even be necessary?
Should the mother or family member happen to stumble upon this post I would appreciate your opinion. It was July 23rd, 10pm, and you were off to a Frontier flight on Concourse A.
I discreetly snapped this picture just to prove it happened. It doesn’t show the child’s face, only the TSA agent at question.
This is flat weird. In fact, I quoted it and linked to it in a post I wrote today on the dminishing joy of travel. It’s at http://travel-babel.blogspot.com/2008/08/help-me-find-joy-of-travel.html
Definitely weird. And another example of the lack of consistency between agents and airports.
Someone else at another airport, or at another checkpoint terminal would never do this and might have the same opinion that I did: Completely inappropriate.
So while her intentions weren’t bad it demonstrates a complete lack of training and a lack of continuity between people and locations.
And to repeat the often quoted line “why hassle grandmothers who are obviously no threat,” anyone with a brain could see this child, with her guardian and two other kids was NOT any sort of threat.
We’ll see if any folks manning the TSA blog care to respond…
James,
If you don’t mind, please send me your e-mail address or contact number via a comment on our blog. I won’t publish it. I’ll take your contact info and the link to this story and send it to the Customer Support Manager at Denver.
Or, you can use the got feedback program. http://www.tsa.gov/gotfeedback <— Follow the link and then click on Colorado. Then select Denver. After completing the form, your feedback will be sent directly to the Customer Service manager at Denver.
Thanks,
Bob
TSA EoS Blog Team
Hi Bob – thanks for the quick response. I’ll send it to Denver via the form, and also forward my story to your email.
Thanks again, and in advance for addressing this further.
In fact, the 9-11 commission acutally recommends swabbing the hands of EVERY passenger for explosive traces — such policy not implemented….. yet.
The agent should have used a kleenex to wipe the drool off the kid’s face (MR/DD kids do drool). Kleenex and paper towels are usually available at the secondaryscreening area.
Just because someone is in a wheelchair, don’t assume nothing can happen. The radicals in Iraq did not hesitate to put explosive vests on mentally challenged individuals to blow up kids at a petting zoo. Not a whole lot to prevent that happening here.
I can’t imagine what purpose it served to swab down a kid’s face for explosives. But then, I never did know why a TSA in 2005 insisted on unbraiding my hair and massaging my scalp, either. (Was she looking for bombs? lice? bobby pins?) I just figure there are a few weirdos who’ve figured out that working airport security is an easy way to feed their fetishes these days.
Are you sure you’re not blowing this out of proportion? Are you sure this wasn’t an act of kindness by a sweet old lady? – a gentle tickle with a swab might feel good to the face of a paraplegic child. – As would a caress of the face with her hand. I don’t know, I wasn’t there, but you might want to be careful before trying to get this lady disciplined.
Hi Anon – thanks for the comment. I appreciate it. I did sit on this for a couple weeks before posting it – and I did give it some consideration.
As mentioned in my article I DO think this TSA agent was a decent kind person, and I saw no ill intent on her part. However I do believe the procedure is uncalled for. I certainly wouldn’t request any discipline, but an advisement and some training and continuity in procedure would be a good step. I haven’t heard back from the above mentioned contacts, but I’m glad it was acknowledged.
RE: comment #5 yes – disabled kids COULD be used as weapons, and the mantra “don’t become complacent” always carries weight. But its important to look at each situation in context. The mother had two other children with her – which too me didn’t appear to be distraction decoys.