TSA Agent:
Blame our Bosses
Screener says Newark Airport is understaffed and
employees are overworked. TSA supervisors are to blame for recent security
breaches at Newark Airport exposed by The Post - including a fake bomb that got
past screeners, an agent said yesterday.
By C.J. Sullivan and Rich Calder
Source: The New York Post Created: March 12, 2013
"The problem at Newark is that the supervisors
are more concerned with appearances rather than results like stopping illegal
weapons from getting on planes," said one agent with the Transportation
Security Administration, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
"They don't back up the screeners. They would
never come out and help when it gets busy. I work hard here, and it's very
busy. We aren't lazy; we are understaffed and overworked."
The agent's remarks came a day after a former TSA
screener told The Post of Newark's lax security, saying, "It's not a
question of if terrorists get through - it's a question of when."
Rep. Peter King (R-LI), chairman of the Homeland
Security Subcommittee on Counterterrorism and Intelligence, said that
yesterday's Post report revealed "a lot of weaknesses" in TSA
security and that "improvements must be made."
"There's no room for errors," King said.
"One major mistake, and it's a disaster."
But Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY) defended the
agency.
"We are safer since 9/11, and I think TSA is
part of the reason," he said, even as he called on the agency to reverse
its decision to allow fliers to bring pocketknives, baseball bats and other
potential weapons on flights.
At Newark Airport yesterday, fliers said reports of
lax security there had them leery.
"I see how bad it is here," said John
Tensel, 51. "I try my best not to even think about it. It's too scary what
can happen."
Della Monterella, 27, of Florida, said, "The
TSA agents at Newark do seem bored by their jobs. They act like they don't
care."
Additional reporting by Antonio Antenucci
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