This incident is flat out ridiculous to anti-terrorism operators, but to the average Joe, this gives them a "warm-fuzzy."
Air marshals' best weapon is their element of surprise, not their firearms and their batons, that does not exist while they are expected to be bouncers for misdemeanor offenses. Passengers and flight attendants should be given the tools and authority to restrain drunk and unruly passengers, not armed Top Secret, undercover, anti-terrorism law enforcement officers.
I was afraid you were going to say something like that. Sorry to hear it. Thanks for talking with me, Spencer. I wouldn't say it was a pleasure but it was certainly an honor.
Air marshals' best weapon is their element of surprise, not their firearms and their batons, that does not exist while they are expected to be bouncers for misdemeanor offenses. Passengers and flight attendants should be given the tools and authority to restrain drunk and unruly passengers, not armed Top Secret, undercover, anti-terrorism law enforcement officers.
I was afraid you were going to say something like that. Sorry to hear it. Thanks for talking with me, Spencer. I wouldn't say it was a pleasure but it was certainly an honor.
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Note from Robert MacLean: "Everything that Pickard disclosed was [later] changed. The DHS OIG [Office of the Inspector General] did a full report on it." Read it here.
Watch Spencer on 20/20 segment
Article about recent air marshal outing incident
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Special thanks to Robert MacLean for his help on this interview.
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