Secondary Screening: Invasive TSA pat-down tactics called into question
PHOENIX (KSAZ) - The Transportation Security Administration is now using some new pat down procedures at airport security checkpoints across the country -- procedures that some travelers are describing as invasive.
Now we're hearing from a valley man who was put through the process. He says it was intrusive and awkward.
"Made me feel anything but safe," said Jim Broderick, who travels across the country at least once a week. Last Thursday, a trip through the security checkpoint at Boston's Logan International Airport was anything but ordinary.
"I went through the metal detector and it went off, they said it was a random electronic check, which I've never heard of before. So they pulled me off to the side and started pulling everything out of my backpack. Every single item out of my backpack, and they took the wand and they're swiping the wand with everything in the backpack, testing each one. He did this for probably 15 to 20 minutes," said Broderick.
Next was a pat down and at the time, Broderick didn't flinch.
"I said 'Oh no, you don't have to explain it to me, I've been pat down many times. This is something that's happened before.' He's like 'No we need to explain it to you because the rules have changed.'"
"Part of the screening does include sensitive areas. It includes the breasts, the buttocks, the groin area," stated TSA Regional Spokesperson, Mark Howell.
This month, the TSA is rolling out a much more invasive, random pat down called "Secondary Screening."
"The pat down itself took five minutes. Which is crazy. And even to go across the crotch, that's just not okay," said Broderick.
He says in a wide open area, TSA officials conducted the pat down, pressing on the outside of his body and feeling the inside of his pants.
"Keep in mind, this is not something that the TSA officers are looking forward to either," said Howell.