Sunday, February 23, 2003

Random vehicle searches at airports From the Washington Post comes this report: First, air travelers had to submit to an electronic wand waved over the body. Then they were asked to remove their shoes. After that, their checked luggage was opened and searched. Now, with the nation under a Code Orange alert, local police are pulling over drivers as they approach airport terminals for random searches of their vehicles. So what's the harm, you ask? Because it's fulfilling the prophesy of the TSA extending their reach. Now you can be searched, without cause, simply for being on airport property. Some airports, such as D-FW, contain roads commuters and others use simply for transportation. These drivers have no intention of going in or near a terminal. But it's enough that they're merely on airport grounds. Here's another example. D-FW grounds contain a large, 24/7 post office, located a fair distance from any terminal. Suppose you need to mail three large packages at 3:00am. You get stopped by police and searched because, after all, who would be passing through an airport at that hour of the morning with sealed boxes? Is that probable cause? According to the TSA it is, and they claim authority to conduct a search. Some airport managers balked at following the directive until the TSA clarified the legal issues. In its defense, the agency pointed to several cases in which federal courts ruled that vehicles could be searched for reasons of public safety. "We have legal standing to do this and do it in a constitutional manner," said TSA spokesman Robert Johnson. "Where there is a conflict, we'll work through that with local jurisdictions." Certainly one can make the case that a large explosive anywhere on airport grounds is a threat. But so is that same large explosive anywhere else. At what point do we stop designating certain areas searchable because of concerns over public safety? The front door to our homes? 1:26:18 PM    Oh yeah? []