View Full Version : security at Aberdeen (ABZ)
A colleague was going through ABZ yesterday, and the person in front of him flashed some sort of warrant card at the security people, and then was allowed to go through without putting his bag through xray and was able to sidestep the body scanner.
Is this normal, and what sort of authority (i.e. who can do it) do you need?
rupetime
5th Feb 2003, 16:25
I would think its a plain clothed police officer, certainly had experience of this at LGW a few years ago - even before our
hightened alert - this was a few years ago but even now i still see the same old faces "hovering" around the terminal.
rt
jaw2001
5th Feb 2003, 16:28
I suspect he might be Special Branch or Customs/Immigration and yes it is normal.
NigelOnDraft
5th Feb 2003, 18:45
And does this (or any security details) need to be discussed here....
rupetime
6th Feb 2003, 08:38
nigel on drift
Its hardly breaking news that plain clothed police offices exist.
rt
Shadowpurser
6th Feb 2003, 09:41
Easy guys! It's a valid question from someone who is not part of our industry. So it may not be breaking news or in the right place, but this is an open forum for everyone. The mods will move this I'm sure, but swipes at members who don't post so often and may not be used to the ins and out of this board doesn't do anything for your reputation as a community.
Murray_NN
6th Feb 2003, 10:01
Just for the information:
The following person (s) are exempt from search,
*Police officers with warrants
*Customs officers with commision
*Immigration officers with warrant
*VIP's eg: heads of states, their family and the car they are travelling in.
*Royal families from all over the world
*Diplomats
*Anyone whose life is in danger, ie Salman Rushdie
and the following people are NOT exempt from search:
*Normal members of public
*employees
*Government ministers
*pilots
*Opposition leader and their party
*more to mention
Let me know if you want further details.
Departures Beckham
7th Feb 2003, 08:39
Well said Shadow.
The practice of 'control-authroities' (Police, Immigration and Customs) not being searched was been brought into question by a 2002 government report. The reports states that this leaves members of the organisations open to "intimidation, coercion or bribery". It says that discussions are on-going with all three authorities to seek a suitable alternative.
The report can be found online (in pdf format) HERE (http://www.aviation.dft.gov.uk/transec/wheeler-review/pdf/wheeler.pdf) - have a look at sections 9.7 - 9.9 on page 9.
Johnny 7
7th Feb 2003, 14:25
Could have been a Queen's Messenger ? Believe they bypass the normal channels . Remember a dapper looking gentleman appearing at the door of the aircraft one morning announcing himself as " the Queen's messenger " . Wonder what he did with his horse ?
Few Cloudy
8th Feb 2003, 08:44
Long time no hear.
What advantage is there in not checking those people on the list?
The reason that crews get checked is not because they are under suspicion of terrorism but because someone could have slipped a device into their baggage (It's already been done).
This could be done to any person passing the system. Any loophole is just that - a loophole in my view.
Beausoleil
8th Feb 2003, 11:46
Surely any category that isn't searched is a security weakness - the terrorist only has to convincingly personate a member of that category to get a weapon into the departure area. Once there he can pass it on to colleagues flying on an aeroplane.
I thought that was another reason why flight crew are searched like the rest of us, not because we think pilots will smuggle weapons onto a plane but because the person in question might not really be a pilot.
It might be pretty hard to fake up an aircrew id and uniform, but security is trying to stop incidents at the one in a million level so all bases have to be covered.
Back to lurking...
pilotwolf
8th Feb 2003, 15:22
Is there really any point in searching a police officer?
Most of them at the major airports are armed with the very thing that security are looking for - openly displayed!!
Surely a waste of time and delays everyone else?
As for the others well....
In my past life as a Scottish cop there were numerous occasions where I had to travel by air wearing civy clothes. In those days all we had was a pair of cuffs and a wee wooden stick.
What happens now when a cop in the same situation turns up with expanding baton,CS Spray,cuffs and body armour?
Or would they get through without any questions being asked after flashing the 'Disco Pass'? :O (Honest I never ever used it for that)