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Name: 1 Should Transportation Security Officers Be Armed? It is the opinion of this writer that Transportation Security Officers ( TS Os) should not be armed. It is my intent to illustrate that point in this paper. During my research I will weigh the advantages and disadvantages of arming TSOs, examining each side of the argument. I will also offer a potential solution that while costly will still prove to be less costly than arming TSOs. What has led to this discussion? For a majority of our society it tak es years and certain events to take place in our lives for change to occur . Those events include graduating High Scho ol/College, getting married, or having children. In a matter of only five short minutes on the morning of November 1 st, 2013 , some indivi dual’s lives changed forever. On that morning Paul Anthony Ciancia, age 23, opened fire in Terminal 3 of the Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). His senseless act s killed a TSO , while injuring six other individuals. The shooting has been debated ov er and over again on whether it is a terrorist act or not. The activities before, during, and after the shooting will show the acts were certainly a terrorist attack. But more importantly could any deaths or injuries have been avoided if the TSOs were armed? These is the question that will continue to be debated and one that will be addressed in this paper. Synopsis of the event that led up to this argument: Shortly after being dropped off at the airport by his roommate, Paul Ciancia pulled out a rifle a nd began opening fire. He was carrying luggage that was filled with a semiautomatic .223 caliber Smith & Wesson M&P -15 rifle , five 30 -round magazines , and hundreds of additional rounds of ammunition ("Lax shooting suspect," 2013) . Walking up to the TSA c heckpoint, Ciancia pulled out a rifle and opened fire hitting TSO Gerardo Hernandez in the chest. Ciancia Name: 2 then apparently moved into the screening area where he continued to fire striking two other TSOs and a male citizen. A ccording to eye witnesses, Ciancia continually asked civilians if they were TSA officers, when they said “no” he moved on without shooting them ("Lax shooting: Latest," 2013) . Ciancia made it as far as the food court some five minutes after the first shot s were fired. He was then surrounded by LAX police officers who engaged him in a gunfight. Shortly after the gunfight ended Ciancia was taken into custody where he had to be transported to a nearby trauma hospital for gunshot wounds (Abdollah, 2013) . In total eight individuals had to be treated at the scene. Four victims were treated for gunshot wounds, while the others were treated for other injuries ("6 hospitalized after," 2013) . The sole suspect Paul Ciancia was carrying a note on him that stated he “wanted to kill TSA” and describe them as “pigs”, the note also mentioned “fiat currency” and “NWO” ("Lax shooting suspect," 2013). The morning of the shooting, Ciancia apparently stormed into his roommate’s room and demanded to be taken to the airpo rt. The roommate did not sense any intention of violence since Ciancia asked days prior for a ride to the airport claiming his father had been sick , and he needed to go back home ("Lax shooting: Latest," 2013). After the shootings occurred the LAX poli ce evacuated terminals, searched cars, and used bomb sniffing dogs to see if there were any other suspects. The Federal Aviation Administration then grounded any outgoing flights, and incoming flights had to be diverted to other airports. Terminals had t o be shut down and passengers had to be evacuated . Individuals had to be questioned then rescanned to enter the facility. In a statement release Ciancia’s family stated they were “shocked and numbed” by Paul’s actions, the family also expressed their sym pathy for the families of the victims. Name: 3 On November 2 nd, federal prosecutors charge d Ciancia with murder of a federal officer, and the committing of violence in an international airport. Ciancia also faces attempted murder for the two individuals who wer e wounded by gunfire ("Suspected lax gunman," 2013) . On December 17 th, a federal grand jury indicted Ciancia on 11 counts, and he could possibly face the death penalty ("Federal grand jury," 2013) . Ciancia is set for trial on August 11 th, 2014 where just ice will certainly prevail. While awaiting trial Paul was moved from a treatment facility to a federal detention center. Foll owing the shooting, debates reignited on the effectiveness of airport security. It has been suggested that TSOs should be armed with guns, while others opposed such statements. A report was released that showed the flaws in the airport. The report stated that the lack of communication and poor conditions led to the lack of emergency response. This leads into the argument of arming TSOs or not. Advantages of Arming TSOs:  Arming TSOs will enhance the existing security infrastructure of any airport. The argument would be that “more is better” and would definitely constitute a deterrent to any individual who poten tial ly consider s committing an act of violence at an airport.  Part of arming TSOs would be to provide training and by providing training you in essence are professional izing a group that has come under certain scrutiny in the past for being less than prof essional.  Following that argument you would also be creating a group of sworn law enforcement officers held to a higher standard. Name: 4  We’ve already done it with Federal Flight Deck Officers (FFDOs) and it seems to be successful . FFDOs are pilots who complete basic training from the Federal Air Marshal Service and periodically have to update that training. That training consists knowing the laws using force, use of force techniques, and firearms skills. Disadvantages of Arming TSOs :  The salary would have to inc rease for those selected to be armed TSOs. The TSO would demand a higher salary based on increased responsibility. The unions supporting the TSOs have already alluded to this.  There is also the matter of training. Arming TSOs is an expensive proposition . First, there is the cost of the basic training which consists of providing use of force techniques, knowledge of use of force laws, and firearms training. The average law enforcement academy in the United States varies from 15 to 36 weeks. There is also the additional cost of ongoing training. These officers would be required to receive quarterly training. Not only is the training expensive, you would be requiring that an officer be off post during that training , which requires the organization eith er to work short staffed or replace that individual at an overtime rate. This would seriously “put a dent ” in the existing TSA budget which has come under increasing scrutiny.  There is the matter of altering the hiring process . Selected individuals who ha ve to go through extensive background checks . Those background check s would be much more extensive than what the existing workforce has undergone. Another added expense.  There is the argument that arming TSOs would create more problems than by not armin g them. There is no guarantee that providing a weapon to an individual is going to professionalize that individual. Name: 5  Arming the FFDOs has not been proven to have had a deterrence on hijackings. Quite frankly there have been reports of mishaps aboard airc rafts in the form of accidental discharge s. Why would arming TSOs be any different? (“Arming TSA Officials”, 2013) What has been done while this argument rages ? Since the event TSA Administrator John S. Pistole has been called upon to review the policies at airports around the country. TSA has taken steps to enhance the safety and security of its employees and civilians nationwide. TSA has enhanced training, communication, and employee support. Equipment and technolog y are routinely checked, and law enforcement is at checkpoints to make sure their presence is known in hopes to reduce future attacks. Regardless, there is no contingency plan that can cover every scenario. Through my research I have identified what I believe are the essential advantages and disadvantages of arming TSOs. At a glance it would seem that the obvious solution would to be to arm TSOs and simply from an altruistic point of view one would have to a gree that would be a benefit to all. But looking at the situation as a whole it would seem unwise to spend countless dollars for a solution that is not guaranteed to work. It is my belief that the disadvantages far outweigh the advantages. A potential alternate short term solution would be to increase law enforcement presence at airports and to improve the technology for screening individuals entering airports. While these solutions are not a panacea, they are at least taking a step in a positive dire ction. Name: 6 References Abdollah, T. (2013, November 15). Lax shooting: Tsa officer hernandez bled for 33 minutes at scene - report. Usnews. Retrieved from http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/11/15/21471203lax -shooting -tsa -officer - hernandez -bled -for -33 -minutes -at-scene -report 6 hospitalized after lax shooting; suspect in custody. (2013, November 1). Marinadelrey.

Retrieved from http://marinadelrey.patch.com/groups/police -and -fire/p/shots -fired -at-lax - tsa -employee -wounded Federal grand jury indict s lax shooting suspect. (2013, December 17). Cnn. Retrieved from http://www.cnn.com/2013/12/17/travel/lax -shooting -indictment Lax shooting suspect reportedly told police he acted alone. (2013, November 4 ). Foxnews. Retrieved from http://www.foxnews.com/u s/2013/11/04/lax -shooting -suspect -told - police -acted -alone Arming TSA officials not the answer. (2013, November 1) CNN Retrieved from http://www.cnn.com/2013/11/01/opinion/hawk -dont -arm -tsa/