TSA to Take over Subway Bag Checks for NYC.
Within the next two months, Transportation Security Administration bag screeners from Kennedy, LaGuardia and Newark Liberty airports will be replacing most NYPD cops in the subway that screen bags for explosives.
Because of the police officer shortage, the NYPD needs to take these police officers and put them on the street to fight crime.
The TSA would not confirm this program is taking place, but did tell Fox 5 News that a program like this would not affect safety at area airports.
This is how it would work: About 30 TSA screeners a day will be pulled from the three area airports Monday through Friday to inspect bags at various subway locations throughout the city. At each location they'll be teamed up with one police officer instead of the two or three officers you currently see at inspection sites.
The Patrolmen's Benevolent Association is blasting the plan, saying despite the city's financial crisis the city needs to hire more cops. According to the PBA, the city has 4,000 fewer cops on the street than it did in 2001.
"There are not enough police officers in New York City to effectively fight crime and terrorism simultaneously and (having to implement) this kind of program is verification of that fact," the PBA said in a statement. Plus the union says searching bags in a subway could turn "dangerous and deadly," which TSA screeners aren't trained or armed to handle.
The TSA workers have had three hours of classroom training regarding legal issues and subway safety and three hours of training on the equipment used to screen bags.
Officials, the NYPD has said this not a done deal yet, even though sources have told Fox 5 that it is going to happen.
Federal Agency taking over "security" of State- Love it!
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