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Security Theater
So, I went to that Mets game last week. They had the usual bag searchers at every gate, and also metal detector guys. The checked every bag, and ran the metal detector over every person.
The bag check consisted of the guy literally unsnapping one of the buckles, snapping it back, and then handing me the bag. He made no bones about the fact that he wasn't actually checking any bags.
The metal detector was hilarious. I set off the detector, so the guy had to manually sweep me with the wand. Said wand went off like five times! Loudly. At both front pockets, my breast pocket, my waist, etc... He quite literally ignored all of the alarms, having done his duty of uselessly sweeping me, and told me to go on in.
I understand it's just security theater, but even the theater portion of it is starting to break down.
The bag check consisted of the guy literally unsnapping one of the buckles, snapping it back, and then handing me the bag. He made no bones about the fact that he wasn't actually checking any bags.
The metal detector was hilarious. I set off the detector, so the guy had to manually sweep me with the wand. Said wand went off like five times! Loudly. At both front pockets, my breast pocket, my waist, etc... He quite literally ignored all of the alarms, having done his duty of uselessly sweeping me, and told me to go on in.
I understand it's just security theater, but even the theater portion of it is starting to break down.
Comments
This, a movement, could be.
Edit - I mean, independent of whatever terror security blah blah blah they're on with, that's the main purpose of those guys.
Also, Liquor isn't metal - But many people put it in or buy it in metal containers - Cans, Flasks, so on - and the metal fittings of most bottles will set off a metal detector.
That's beside the point, though. Yeah, you could have had lots of liquor in your bag. But the lack of diligence of one guy doesn't mean that's not what he's there for. It just means he's bad at his job.
Well, essentially, if it's heavy with a bulge, then that's different to if you're lugging, say, a 700 ML bottle of Jack, and hardly anything else. It's hard to be able to get the point I'm making across without a demonstration, but you can figure one of those out for yourself. Essentially, Yeah, cool, your bag was heavy, and had a bulge. But the point I'm making is that a bottle of liquor changes the heft of the bag perceptibly, unless you're cunning about it. That's all.
Not disputing that if he was there for security, rather than security theatre, or trying to stop people smuggling liquor in, he would have checked your bag. I'm not disputing that he wasn't doing his job right. I'm not disputing anything about your bag, nor that it was heavy, light, smooth as a freshly shaven crotch or lumpier than a condom full of walnuts. None of that, you dig? I'm just saying, the main purpose that they are there for - no matter how successful they are or are not - is to attempt to limit the amount of liquor being smuggled in as much as they can, so that you buy their shitty, warm 12 dollar beers in plastic cups.
He swept me, but ignored the alerts. He'd might as well waved a stick.
Working unarmed security is a crappy job attracting fairly unmotivated and crappy people. Armed security range from crappy to so-so.
The level of actual security all depends on the upper management and how willing they are to enforcer their own rules and deal with the inevitable complaints. The Naval security job was the biggest joke ever, which was at odds with our appearance, we were truly security theater. We carried rifles, wore cammo, had a patrol boat, tac vests etc etc. Of course the bullhorn didn't work, the boat had a leak, we weren't allowed to carry a round in the chamber, etc etc etc.
On the other hand, working at the federal building was very srs business. You couldn't get in without a metal detector check on the highest setting. After that you were wanded down and everything was checked, literally if your under wire in your bra was setting it off, it got checked. In addition I went through every pocked on a purse (after warning the other person that I was going to check everything and they could take their purse back to their car if they wanted. We had to tap the badge of every employee at every security checkpoint, even if they had been working there for 20+ years. It was very secure and the management followed their own rules.
Which one was more secure in the end? No idea, since nothing serious every happened at either place.
Either way, security is a sucky job.
They also have the Wine Rack, which is basically a sports bra with an integrated Camelbak.