TSA "Agents" as folks here are calling them are not LEO's. They are not commissioned by the Department of Homeland Security. Ever notice that they are not carrying firearms themselves, and that the local PD is called in whenever there is a problem?
Their duties do not include Law Enforcement (this is from the job description):
"Operating screening equipment to identify dangerous objects in baggage, cargo and on passengers, and preventing those objects from being transported onto aircraft;
Performing searches, to include hand-wand and pat-down searches;
Controlling terminal entry and exit points;
Interacting with the public, giving directions and responding to inquiries;
Maintaining focus and awareness while working in a stressful environment which includes noise from alarms, machinery and people, crowd distractions, time pressure, and disruptive and angry passengers, in order to preserve the professional ability to identify and locate potentially life threatening or mass destruction devices, and to make effective decisions in both crisis and routine situations.
Their job is to prevent bad guys and idiots from taking dangerous weapons into secure areas of the airport. The TSO did his/her job when the weapon was found. They went outside the job description when they tried to unload it. The nimrod who brought the pistol to the security screening station should have the book thrown at him. IMHO
