Criminals Working at Airport Screening to Be Expected?

I read a report about comments made by John Halinski, the TSA Deputy Administrator about TSA employees and their criminal dealings.

He was responding to questions about the integrity of TSA screeners in light of all the bad publicity they have received lately. Incidents such as a Dulles airport TSA manager arrested for operating a prostitution ring; or the agent in Jackson, Mississippi who stabbed a fellow TSA agent to death while off duty; or the group of screening agents caught sleeping on the job in New Jersey; or the dozens of screening agents in Hawaii that weren’t screening checked baggage for explosives.

In defending the reputation of the airport screening agency, Halinski stated:

“If you have an organization of 60,000 people, that’s like a city. You’re always going to have crime in a city. You’re always going to have people who don’t do things that are proper and make mistakes. I’m not saying we are different from any other group of Americans; I’m saying we are exactly like every group of Americans.”

I agree that human nature is human nature and that there are bound to be a few bad apples in the mix, but let’s face it, you’re talking about an organization of people that are supposed to be protecting the American people from terrorists. But Halinski has to face the fact that the job the TSA calls for should be conducted by trustworthy and law abiding people.