Sunday, November 21, 2010

Professional Courtesy and the TSA

Fellow officers and I occasionally have a philosophical discussion. Who gets professional courtesy?

For those who don’t know it this is the fact cops don’t ticket other police officers, etc. Yes, we cover our own…like sharks and lawyers.

Now I personally extend it to others…firefighters, military, etc. But one group is not law enforcement in my eyes and never will be.  The taxpayer funded molisters you find at airports now sometimes known as the TSA inspectors.

Real emergency services (cops, firemen, medics, military, etc) work to keep society safe and providing the essential services needed for the public. TSA is only a façade for securing our air travel (and I expect to be extended to bus and train services before you know it) and sorry guys, I don’t see you as law enforcement.

To put this in perspective if a bad guy was in the airport would you move towards him (like cops must) or away? I think we know the answer to that.

Any cops out there…if you pulled over a TSA agent would he be extended the same courtesy shown a man with a real badge?

5 comments:

  1. I think it all depends of the individual. I only ticket about 1 out of every 4 drivers. But then again, I don't see those TSA guys as law enforcement.

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  2. Agreed...they are many things but they are not cops...

    As far as the general public a lot depends on the attitude...if they demand it e.g. "What's are you f#$%ing, why aren’t you dealing with real criminals….

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  3. Are FBI guys real cops? Do the get prof. courtesy? I have heard numerous cops say that the FBI folks are not real cops. Joseph Wambaugh I think feels the same way. At least that is the gist I get from some of his exceptional police novels.

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  4. Yes but they go after more white collar criminals...fraude, etc. If you want more federal "patrol" ATF and DEA do more of that...they actually get their hands dirty.

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