TSA Agents In Denver Fired For Groping Male Passengers

Two agents with the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) who worked at the Denver International Airport (DIA) were terminated recently for conspiring to grope male passengers they deemed to be attractive.

KCNC reported Monday that a female agent would “signal” a male colleague when an attractive passenger came through the security checkpoint. According to a law enforcement report obtained by the network, the two worked together a dozen times to flag down passengers:

He related that when a male he finds attractive comes to be screened by the scanning machine he will alert another TSA screener to indicate to the scanning computer that the party being screened is a female.

When the screener does this, the scanning machine will indicate an anomaly in the genital area and this allows [the male TSA screener] to conduct a pat-down.

The TSA first heard the accusation last November from an anonymous tip within the agency; but it took three months to take action, according to reports.

TSA investigator Chris Higgins observed the two in the act on February 9. “At about 0925 he observed [the male TSA screener] appear to give a signal to another screener … [the second female screener] … [the second female screener] was responsible for the touchscreen system for the touchscreen system that controls whether or not the scanning machine alerts to gender-specific anomalies,” said a law enforcement report provided to KCNC.

Higgins also “observed [the female TSA agent] press the screening button for a female. The scanner alerted to an anomaly, and Higgins observed [the male TSA screener] conduct a pat down of the passenger’s front groin and buttocks area with the palm of his hands, which is contradictory to searching policy.”

After an interview, the now former female agent admitted to Higgins she had helped her male colleague perform this act “at least 10 other times.” Their names are not being released. The TSA released a statement condemning the former agents’ actions:

These alleged acts are egregious and intolerable. TSA has removed the two officers from the agency. All allegations of misconduct are thoroughly investigated by the agency. And when substantiated, employees are held accountable.

h/t: Ben Swann

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BCN editor’s note: This article first appeared at Western Journalism.