I think the job is self-selecting for psychopaths.
Nearly 1 in 4 TSA agents are ex-military.
http://www.tsa.gov/who_we_are/workforce/index.shtm
There are a few bad apples - just as there are in any large group.
The main issues with TSA are not the fault of the agents. It’s the system. It’s the leadership. Most of whom have never spent 15 minutes working on the floor of an airport.
I think the job is self-selecting for psychopaths.
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The one character I know who worked for TSA at PIT was a real loose cannon.
But a lot of people need the job, and standing out at the airport day after day, doing the enhanced gropings and rummaging through travelers’ underwear and socks day after day has to drive a lot of people batty.
The fact is that TSA pays more and wants people to “respect its authoritay”, makes it hard for people to give it up, even though its a low level mundane task.
Enough to drive even some sane folks over the edge.
It would be best to turn this back over to the private sector, where there is a bit more of a turnover and the staff doesn’t have the same attitude.