Thread: Myth Buster: TSA Not Setting Up Checkpoints On TN. Highways

0.25.2011

Myth Buster: TSA Not Setting Up Checkpoints On Tennessee Highways

Depending on what inaccurate blog post you may have read, you would think that TSA has checkpoints set up all across Tennessee’s highways. That’s just simply not the case. In fact, it’s really startling to see how off base some of the claims have been.

As part of an ongoing terrorism prevention and response program, the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security hosted a statewide exercise on October 18-20, 2011. TSA participated through its Visible Intermodal Prevention and Response program. The exercise focused on improving the communications and operating relationships of state, local, and federal agencies when responding to any type of homeland security situation.

TSA VIPR personnel participated at multiple locations in the Tennessee exercise, supporting state and local personnel as they inspected vehicles to identify potential security threats.

In addition, Transportation Security Officers were in attendance to provide information including a leaflet to truck drivers at weigh stations about TSA’s First Observer program that encourages drivers to report potentially suspicious activity or items they see on the road.

TSA officers did not physically screen drivers during this exercise as erroneously reported. The actual vehicle inspections were conducted by the Tennessee State Highway Patrol just the same as they are done every day.

Blogger Bob
TSA Blog Team

http://blog.tsa.gov/2011/10/myth-buster ... ng-up.html

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Here is the video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=pl ... m8ahsgZYtE


As Smedley Butler said: “It is always easy to convince half of the people to kill the other half.â€

The actual vehicle inspections were conducted by the Tennessee State Highway Patrol just the same as they are done every day.

Transportation Security Officers were in attendance to provide information including a leaflet to truck drivers at weigh stations about TSA’s First Observer program that encourages drivers to report potentially suspicious activity or items they see on the road.

TSA denies screening truck drivers and setting extensive highway checkpoints in Tennessee

Wed, 2011-10-26 08:18 AM
By: Mark Rockwell

Reports in recent days that the TSA is allegedly setting up extensive highway checkpoints across the state of Tennessee are wildly exaggerated, said the agency in a statement on Oct. 25.

A minor furor has cropped up in Web blogs and in some press reports in the last few days accusing the Transportation Security Administration of establishing Visible Intermodal Prevention and Response (VIPR) program checkpoints across the state’s highways to look for terrorists and terrorist activities, as well as physically screening truck drivers.

The TSA responded on Oct. 25 on its own blog, saying the reports are overblown and that is was acting alongside Tennessee state homeland security agencies in a two-day long statewide exercise aimed at sharpening coordination among the agencies.

In a post titled “Myth Buster: TSA Not Setting Up Checkpoints On Tennessee Highways,â€

EDITORIAL: TSA’s power grope
Wednesday, October 26,2011
The Washington Times

Rogue agency reaches out and touches people outside airports


The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has always intended to expand beyond the confines of airport terminals. Its agents have been conducting more and more surprise groping sessions for women, children and the elderly in locations that have nothing to do with aviation. It’s all part of TSA’s Visible Intermodal Prevention and Response (VIPR) program, which drew additional scrutiny following an Oct. 18 blitz in Tennessee.

As part of a “statewide safety operation,â€