Air marshal checks lax, study says

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

WASHINGTON - The government hired air marshals who had been involved in cases of misconduct, and it fails to hold them to a high enough disciplinary standard, the Homeland Security Department's inspector general said.

"Many federal air marshals were granted access to classified information after displaying questionable judgment, irresponsibility and emotionally unstable behavior," Inspector General Clark Kent Ervin said in a report Monday.

Asa Hutchinson, the department's undersecretary, disagreed with the report's conclusions.

In a written response, Hutchinson said new standards and guidelines have been set for determining whether applicants are suitable to be air marshals, whose job is primarily guarding planes while they are in flight.

Thousands of air marshals were rushed into service after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. The exact number is classified, and the marshals travel undercover, but pilots say they guard only a small percentage of daily flights.

The Federal Air Marshal Service moved to the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement from the Transportation Security Administration in November.

Disciplinary problems with the air marshals arose in 2003. Managers within the Federal Air Marshal Service subsequently reviewed the files of 161 applicants and found some had been given pre-hiring top-secret clearances despite financial, employment and criminal problems in the past, the report said.

Of 161 cases, 62 had been accused of domestic violence or assault, drunken driving or sexual harassment, and half of those were arrested at least twice in the past decade.

Others had filed for bankruptcy in the last seven years, misused government resources, been fired or suspended or made to forfeit pay in previous jobs.

None of the 161 were subsequently hired, said Dave Adams, a spokesman for the air marshal service.

Ervin's report said 104 air marshals who had been granted security clearances had been involved in 155 cases of misconduct when they worked for the Bureau of Prisons previously. Offenses included falling asleep on duty, verbal abuse, breach of security, physical abuse of an inmate and misuse of government property and credit cards.

Adams said the service began reviewing background checks of all air marshals before the report came out to make sure they meet a higher standard appropriate for law enforcement officers. Ervin's report also said discipline is sometimes lax in the air marshal service.

Between February and October 2002, there were 753 documented reports of sleeping on duty, lying, testing positive for alcohol or illegal drugs while on the job or losing weapons, the report said. In many cases, air marshals were suspended with pay.

Federal airport screeners would have been fired or suspended without pay for similar offenses, the report said. "Since air marshals are weapon-carrying law enforcement officers, they can and should be held to a standard of conduct at least as high as that of screeners."

Hutchinson said many accusations of misconduct were less severe - for example, for rudeness or tardiness - than the inspector general reported. He said 101 air marshals were fired between March 2002 and March 2004. Thirty-two more quit rather than be fired, he said.

But Hutchinson agreed that two air marshals found to have used marijuana probably should have been fired faster. The two marshals were placed on leave in May and June 2003 but were paid through January 2004.

This is what happens when an organization if forced to grow too quickly.  Standards are not adhered to and warning signs are ignored.  This is usually how police departments find themselves involved in law suits.  The requirements are there for a reason.  No organization is perfect and a few 8 balls will slip through from time to time, but in this case it appears that someone just left the gate open.

Kinda like regular cops.

Uh, they may be incompetent in many areas of their life, but we are not hiring them to be competent parents, spouses or human beings, We are hiring them to kill bad guys on airplanes before the bad guys do bad things.

THis article positively reeks of clinton era feel goodism.  Screw that.

Just because the guys wife needed a beat down doesnt mean he isnt up to his job.

I don't know, considering the way the laws are today, it's easier than it sounds to be convicted of all of those crimes mentioned. They simply lower the bar in regard to what constitutes domestic violence or assault, and bingo, you're a criminal. California is a prime example.

Quoted: Kinda like regular cops people.

I fixed it for you.

Unfornately, all it takes is an accusation of wrong doing and "you're labeled" these days.

Quoted: Unfornately, all it takes is an accusation of wrong doing and "you're labeled" these days.

yup

Probably because it's the worst job in the world.  Imagine the boredom of sitting on a plane for hours with no 'real' destination and nothing to do.  I'm surprised some of them haven't gone nutz and hijacked the plane themselves.

Just a slight observation.......

Most of these same allegations are similar to [aside from society] our Armed Forces.  My experience has been that among the Armed Forces, divorce, alcoholism, drug use, domestic violence and poor credit ratings are quite common and every day occurances.  While my personal experience has only been the Marine Corps, I know this be true amongst other branches of the Mil as well.  

I'm starting to see that its OK for these types to go abroad and DIE DAILY for the sake of our country but .......for a couple of billion dollar private Airline companies .........they want to have the cream of the crop best employees in the world.  WTF?  They were already bailed out from economic disaster (a mistake) and now complain about tardiness and rudeness?  IMO they need the dirtiest, nastiest, rude and rough cut agents working these flights.  Candy ass F'n nerds don't cut it in the Mil and shouldn't cut it for this job either......

so , for all you care, they can be a serial killer, as long as it's off duty when they're doing it?

Sheeeeeeeeeeeeeeesh!

Chris

Quoted: Uh, they may be incompetent in many areas of their life, but we are not hiring them to be competent parents, spouses or human beings, We are hiring them to kill bad guys on airplanes before the bad guys do bad things. THis article positively reeks of clinton era feel goodism.  Screw that.

Quoted: so , for all you care, they can be a serial killer, as long as it's off duty when they're doing it? Sheeeeeeeeeeeeeeesh! Chris

THIS POST IS A CLASSIC EXAMPLE OF PUTTING WORDS IN OTHER PEOPLES MOUTHS

Quoted: Uh, they may be incompetent in many areas of their life, but we are not hiring them to be competent parents, spouses or human beings, We are hiring them to kill bad guys on airplanes before the bad guys do bad things. THis article positively reeks of clinton era feel goodism.  Screw that.

Good point.

Quoted: so , for all you care, they can be a serial killer, as long as it's off duty when they're doing it? Sheeeeeeeeeeeeeeesh! Chris Quoted: Uh, they may be incompetent in many areas of their life, but we are not hiring them to be competent parents, spouses or human beings, We are hiring them to kill bad guys on airplanes before the bad guys do bad things. THis article positively reeks of clinton era feel goodism.  Screw that.

Must be nice to be perfect.

Quoted: Quoted: so , for all you care, they can be a serial killer, as long as it's off duty when they're doing it? Sheeeeeeeeeeeeeeesh! Chris Quoted: Uh, they may be incompetent in many areas of their life, but we are not hiring them to be competent parents, spouses or human beings, We are hiring them to kill bad guys on airplanes before the bad guys do bad things. THis article positively reeks of clinton era feel goodism.  Screw that. Must be nice to be perfect.

Exactly.  I don't drink, I never hit my wife and I never sexually assualted anyone, I did fill in some wetlands on one of my properties though, that was against the law, am I disquailifed?

Never claimed to be perfect, but if you are charged to "uphold" the law, you should be held to the same laws as the rest of us.

seems the wife beater,etc gets a pass, and can carry a gun, while in Virginia and I believe even the FFL form says NO SALE to us "suspects" and "subjects" who have done the same.

Chris

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: so , for all you care, they can be a serial killer, as long as it's off duty when they're doing it? Sheeeeeeeeeeeeeeesh! Chris Quoted: Uh, they may be incompetent in many areas of their life, but we are not hiring them to be competent parents, spouses or human beings, We are hiring them to kill bad guys on airplanes before the bad guys do bad things. THis article positively reeks of clinton era feel goodism.  Screw that. Must be nice to be perfect. Exactly.  I don't drink, I never hit my wife and I never sexually assualted anyone, I did fill in some wetlands on one of my properties though, that was against the law, am I disquailifed?

Hielo, I am in complete agreement with you.  (as usual, just not on 1 issue)

Quoted: Never claimed to be perfect, but if you are charged to "uphold" the law, you should be held to the same laws as the rest of us. seems the wife beater,etc gets a pass, and can carry a gun, while in Virginia and I believe even the FFL form says NO SALE to us "suspects" and "subjects" who have done the same. Chris

That law is wrong, but that doesn't mean we have to apply a wrong law to everyone.

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: so , for all you care, they can be a serial killer, as long as it's off duty when they're doing it? Sheeeeeeeeeeeeeeesh! Chris Quoted: Uh, they may be incompetent in many areas of their life, but we are not hiring them to be competent parents, spouses or human beings, We are hiring them to kill bad guys on airplanes before the bad guys do bad things. THis article positively reeks of clinton era feel goodism.  Screw that. Must be nice to be perfect. Exactly.  I don't drink, I never hit my wife and I never sexually assualted anyone, I did fill in some wetlands on one of my properties though, that was against the law, am I disquailifed? Hielo, I am in complete agreement with you.  (as usual, just not on 1 issue)

<lol>, and I never meant to imply you were a coward!  Just he heat of the abortion debate thingy...

doesn't matter if it's a right or wrong law, now does it?
it's the law.

In Virginia if you are accused or convicted of domestic violence offences, you CAN NOT buy a gun, period. (FTF doesn't count here I suppose)

double standards at its best IMHO

Chris

Quoted: Quoted: Never claimed to be perfect, but if you are charged to "uphold" the law, you should be held to the same laws as the rest of us. seems the wife beater,etc gets a pass, and can carry a gun, while in Virginia and I believe even the FFL form says NO SALE to us "suspects" and "subjects" who have done the same. Chris That law is wrong, but that doesn't mean we have to apply a wrong law to everyone.

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: so , for all you care, they can be a serial killer, as long as it's off duty when they're doing it? Sheeeeeeeeeeeeeeesh! Chris Quoted: Uh, they may be incompetent in many areas of their life, but we are not hiring them to be competent parents, spouses or human beings, We are hiring them to kill bad guys on airplanes before the bad guys do bad things. THis article positively reeks of clinton era feel goodism.  Screw that. Must be nice to be perfect. Exactly.  I don't drink, I never hit my wife and I never sexually assualted anyone, I did fill in some wetlands on one of my properties though, that was against the law, am I disquailifed?

Helio? You filled in a wetland and lived to tell about it?

Quoted: … We are hiring them to kill bad guys on airplanes before the bad guys do bad things. THis article positively reeks of clinton era feel goodism.  Screw that.

I actually agree with Hielo!!!  

I may need to rethink my position.  

Quoted: ... but if you are charged to "uphold" the law, you should be held to the same laws as the rest of us....

??

The Lautenberg law applies to LEO’s and military as well as everyone else.