Hundreds of Transportation Security Administration badges have gone missing, sparking fears that the lost or stolen badges can be used to gain access to secure areas at airports.
Doug McKelway reported on “On The Record” tonight that Congress has known for more than two months about the missing Secured Identification Display Area (SIDA) badges.
McKelway reported that more than 270 badges went missing at the San Diego International Airport in the last two years and that more than 1,400 badges are missing from Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport.
Sen. John Thune (R-SD ) sent a letter to TSA officials in March demanding answers regarding the missing, lost or stolen badges.
“Clearly there are an awful lot of things falling through the cracks and there’s just no room for an error when it comes to this issue,” Thune wrote. “We need answers. They’re not providing them.”
TSA responded to Thune stating that it does not issue the badges and the responsibility lies with airport operators, McKelway stated.
The TSA requires airport employees to report that a badge is missing within 24 hours.
McKelway noted that many of the missing badges weren’t reported for months in hopes they would be turned in – meaning they were not quickly deactivated.
Under TSA rules, if more than 5 percent of the badges at one airport are lost or stolen, the entire inventory must be canceled and reissued, McKelway said.
“McKelway reported that more than 270 badges went missing at the San Diego International Airport in the last two years and that more than 1,400 badges are missing from Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport.”
Someone made a killing.
Financially speaking.
All the while, TSA is saying, “Badges? We don’t need no stinking badges.”
Besides, their badges are nothing but toy badges that you can buy from K-mart to go with their costumes. So what’s the big deal?