4 TSA agents fired for failing to properly screen bags

By WCNC.com
Four Transportation Security Administration agents are out of a job and a dozen more may be fired after the agency says they failed to properly screen checked luggage at Charlotte/Douglas International Airport.

The agency announced the decision Friday. TSA spokesman Jon Allen said they began investigating checked baggage screening procedures following a June audit. During one week, that audit found 80 bags out of 80,000 were not screened correctly.

Allen said the failures came when baggage that should have been opened up and screened by hand was not. The TSA inspects bags for dangerous items, such as bombs, and other contraband.

Four employees who were still in their trial periods have resigned or been fired, the TSA said. The agency is seeking to terminate 12 more from Charlotte/Douglas. They will have a chance to appeal the decision. TSA officials were meeting with the agents in question Friday.

There are about 500 TSA agents stationed at Charlotte/Douglas, with the 16 agents fired or targeted for termination representing about 3 percent of the total.

The agents are temporarily being replaced with officers from other locations, the TSA said.
There were no actual security incidents resulting from the screening failures, according to the TSA.

WCNC is the NBC News affiliate in Charlotte, N.C.

http://overheadbin.msnbc.msn.com/_ne...ly-screen-bags