Sat, Jun 14, 2003
12 LAX Screeners Targeted
As the TSA "rescrubs" its screener force, looking
for felonies that might have been otherwise hidden, 12 screeners at
Los Angeles International Airport (CA) have been nabbed for
unreported criminal backgrounds.
The TSA said several of the "dirty dozen" had pasts that
included the "unlawful, use, sale, distribution or manufacture of
an explosive or weapon." Seven of the screeners were shown the
door. The other five have been placed on administrative leave.
LAX: Rechecking TSA's Checks
The Washington Post reports documents obtained under the Freedom
of Information Act show the 12 LAX inspectors "were certified by
the TSA as not having a disqualifying history." Recently, however,
they were determined by the airport itself to "have a disqualifying
criminal history." An additional 59 out of more than 2,000
screeners were flagged for further review of their pasts after the
airport conducted fingerprint-based checks.
"This shows the value of fingerprint-based background checks,"
said airport spokesman Paul Haney. "Going forward, we will require
our badging office to perform the fingerprint-based background
checks prior to issuing an airport badge."
LAX started fingerprinting screeners after six TSA employees
'fessed up to criminal pasts that hadn't before come to light. LAX
officials started the fingerprint checks, only to find at least 24
more workers with "questionable" backgrounds. That led to a
congressional hearing and a full-blown investigation by the
Department of Homeland Security.
Problem? What Problem?
At the congressional hearing, TSA spokesman Robert
Johnson promised the agency had not only reinvestigated the
backgrounds of screeners at LAX, but in Chicago and New York as
well. Only one screener was fired as a result, said Johnson. TSA
officials insist the LAX debacle is not indicative of a larger
problem involving untested or deceitful screeners. Instead, the
findings at Los Angeles were part of "that final 1.1 percent of
screeners who need fingerprint checks completed," TSA's Brian
Turmail said. "We're taking immediate and appropriate action with
these individuals."
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