Airline Security and Badge/Shield... you won't believe this.. lol

[McCall]

I found this to be a lil extreme, but in light of recent events, I guess it somewhat makes sense.

I am a commissioned peace officer, who works two jobs (suprised?, doubt it.. lol). My second job (unrelated to LE) requires me to travel, quite a bit, mostly by plane.

In light of recent events, esp. the instance where a retired Armed Forces General was not allowed to board a plane due to his valor medal being considered a "knife like object", I decided to call the airline.

I informed them that I was a commissioned peace officer, and was going to be traveling later this week on their airline. I asked them if my metal clasp on the back of my shield would be considered a "knife like object" and thus "cause trouble".

I received an interesting reply. Though they said it wasn't an immediate disqualification, it was a good possibility that it could be forbidden.

Great. I thought by leaving my firearm at home (and thus going naked) would be enough to eliminate the hassle that these new security provisions have imposed.

Though to me it would be assanine to not allow anyone with a shield as part of their official issued identification to possess it while on an airplane - sanity often doesn't prevail in our society.

So I'm tasked with the choice of packing my identification in my checked baggage (with the thought of it being lost or stolen), or just leaving it at home - period - with no simple way of identifying myself to LE if the SHTF while on job #2.

Your recommendations/suggestions/experiences since 9/11?

Terry

[Signal 24]

I would see if you could leave it with stewardist or pilots. tell them you have to carry it and ask if they can hold it.

[Badge67]

They would actually consider telling an LEO to leave their badge at home?!?! What kind of morons are these? I would say definitely take your badge. Checking to see if the stewardess could keep it for you is a good idea. On the other hand, if your second job is unrelated to LE, then it might just be better to leave the badge home, bc you won't really need it anyway.

[Sparky]

You're not carrying your weapon and won't be needing to ID yourself to make any arrests.

Leave the ID at home.

I agree that airport security is (God help us all) even more of a joke NOW than it was BEFORE 9/11, but my reason is this:

In a takeover situation, the badge does you no good unless it has magic powers to cloud men's minds.

In a HOSTAGE situation, when they start looking at passports and IDs to see who they have just taken hostage... and they find your badge... it's gonna go sideways on you.

Just my opinion....And I am used to people calling me paranoid, so it's okay.

[RoadWarrior]

I tend to agree with Sparky. A situation could go from bad to worse if a baddie were to learn that you are a police officer, or worse yet, an unarmed police officer.

If I'm not carrying a weapon, the only ID I carry is a laminated card buried deep in the filing cabinet I call a wallet.

[207]

Originally posted by RoadWarrior:
I tend to agree with Sparky. A situation could go from bad to worse if a baddie were to learn that you are a police officer, or worse yet, an unarmed police officer.

I also agree... You may become the "key" hostage/target or a bardering option in a bad situation.

[klar]

Hate to tell you all this but the idea of leaving it with the stewardess or the pilots is gonna be a impossibility as the flight crew is on the plane or colse to the plane and if the badge is a disqualifer then your stuck at the access control point to the concourses and nowhere close to the airline to be able to ask the stewards/pilots if they would hold it. Your best bet is to talk to a feloow LEO who is stationed at a check point or close by and explain the situation to him/her. I think you will have better luck getting through security that way.

Hope that helps some.

Klar

[McCall]

Thanks for the replies. I had thought about explaining the situation to nearby LE if security throws a fit (though in the past, I just placed it with my keys in the bucket, with no questions asked...).

I've decided to just leave it at home, bringing only my id (burried deep enough in my wallet, that it would take a long while to bother to find).

Considering I'll be changing planes about 3 or more times, each way - I figured with 12+ different security folks to deal with the odds were atleast one would have a fit.

[occiferdave]

HI all, just going to put my 2 cents in.
-------------------------------------

PRE-9/11

Was flying from LAS to BUR with a friend on an early morning flight on Southwest. Was up most of the night and was trying to catch some ZZZs on the flight back home. Drunk in the next row begans bothering these two women he didn't know. Goes on an on and gets louder and louder. Not violent, just bothersome. Air Waitress trys to get him to behave, he doesn't. Gets to the point where I had to get up and ID myself, and tell this fool that if he doesn't relax, we're going to arrest him. Problem difussed and solved. Flight crew was so thankful, got two free passes for anywhere in the US....

POST- 9/11

Was flying from AUS to LAX, line was approximately 2 hours for security check. I was at the end of the line, about mid-way into the line, a security screener was checking ID's and tickets. When I was taking out my DL, she notices my badge, took me to the front of the line and they waved me through. Didn't know what to do with all that extra time I just got, because I budgeted for 2 hours of standing in lane.

From talking to many Airport Police Officers (not security screeners) from about 12 different airports, most(not all) will help a brother out whenever they can.

[Mitzi]

My husband hates to fly now because of all the hassle. He recently found a job, through the grace of God but it means more traveling.
My heart sure went out to him when he was flying all over the country, interviewing for jobs.
At the time, he had feet problem that eventualy required surgery on both heels. He got in one morning at 3 am and simply could not stand wearing his shoes any longer so he took them off and limped through the building. Well, being seen carrying his shoes caught their attention and they detained them.
He was too exhausted to argue and they inspected his shoes diligently. He was getting OFF a plane, not getting ON one. They tried to tell him he could go but he had to wear his shoes. He ripped off one of his socks and showed them WHY he could not wear them and informed them he was having surgery the next week.
Finally, after much high level thinking, he was allowed to leave, limping and carrying his shoes.
He came home, exhausted, carrying his dangerous shoes.

[Niteshift]

I've said it a bunch of times: The gun and the badge are a matched set. If you don't have one, don't carry the other. Period.

[PeteBroccolo]

I was flying within Canada in mid October 2001, and as I checked in, and was asked where I wanted to sit, I asked for the front row aisle (no frills so no first class) and showed the clerk my badge and ID, so she was quite happy to let me sit there. When I boarded the plane, I showed my badge and ID to the steward greeting us as we came aboard. She was a little taken back at seeing this, but when I changed planes at the end of that leg, she sought me out to thank me, even though there had not been any problems, saying that it made her and the rest of the crew feel safer.

One dumb thing, though - when I went through pre-boarding, I had to surrender my 3-blade (dull knife, screwdriver/bottle opener and hooked-end file) key chain tool to my friend who drove me to the airport before I could make it through. The worst part was when my friend laughed out, "I told you so!"

[McCall]

Thanks again for more replies. At this point, I'm probably just going to bring my photo id. I had hoped to bring my badge along with a set of flex cuffs (just incase and less "disturbing" to the security folks I figure than my shiny metal ones :P) - but after talking to ya'll - since I"m leaving my firearm at home - I guess I'll just bring my eyes so that I may get a good description of the perp (whether it's in the air or later during my two week stay in Kansas on the ground)...

[Niteshift]

NO FLEXCUFFS!!!!!! They stand a good chance of getting you in trouble.

Most airlines already stock them on the planes. In fact, one of the airliners that hit the WTC had them on board....... and they were used to restrain crew members. A pair of hands bound by flexcuffs were found at the site, as well as another crew members body that was bound.

Years before 9/11, I had airports NOT allow handcuffs and flexcuffs in my carry-on when I was coming back from extraditions. Also, even with my badge and creds, getting a koubaton on board was hit and miss depending on the airport.

[celia]

Just put it in that little basket. That's what my 9yo sond did with his swiss army knife and he had no problem getting it on the plane.