I was traveling through an airport the other day and I decided to test how effective security is by purposefully leaving a double ‘A’ battery in my pocket. I took everything else out, except the battery. I also left my shoes on, which nobody seemed to notice. When I walked through the metal detector, it beeped and I was immediately pulled aside. A male security officer conducted a pat down search, but didn’t actually find the battery in my pocket. But when he realized that I still had my shoes on, he became obviously annoyed and told me to "take them off immediately."
After I took them off, he conducted a second pat down search, but more thorough this time around. He also found the battery this time and raised his voice at me saying: "you’ve just made this much harder for yourself." He ended up taking me to a separate room and with another male officer, he instructed me to undress down to my underwear. I protested, but he said that I might be arrested and that this would be a much worse outcome for me. So I undressed, but it was really humiliating since I was wearing tighty-whities (white briefs) and felt really exposed.
Was this acceptable procedure on their part for simply leaving a battery in my pocket. They did not know that it was on purpose.
In other words, you are annoyed that your test worked great? They found the battery, and caught that your shoes were on and dealt with you.
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
He probably figured you were screwing around. The airport security staff can’t strip search you against your will, only the Customs officers in the arrival area can do that if they suspect incoming contraband, so they were just bluffing. Merely carrying a battery in your pocket wouldn’t be sufficient cause for a cop to arrest you, so you were free to walk right out of the airport if you didn’t want to be searched, and they simply wouldn’t have allowed you to board the plane. The guards might have scared you with their tough talk, but they didn’t actually prevent you from leaving so they broke no laws. But keep up the funny business, and you’re liable to end up on a no-fly list.
References :
You should have told the security officer , in an official sounding voice "It`s OK , I`m just testing security procedures here to make certain everything`s up to snuff !"
The security officer , the customs officers ,and the airport police would have lined up to shake your hand , and the airlines would have given you a free pass to anywhere in the world !
Thank goodness for "concerned citizens" !!
References :
In other words, you are annoyed that your test worked great? They found the battery, and caught that your shoes were on and dealt with you.
References :