The City of Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport has some issues.  It appears that when the sun goes down, the TSA goes home and security becomes essentially non-existant:

It’s what we discovered in the middle of the night – TSA agents going away, and security guards taking over. It’s 4.5 hours - every night – when an employee badge becomes an all-access pass.

Night after night, our hidden cameras captured what security experts tell us is a disaster waiting to happen.

The X-ray machines were off, the metal detectors were closed, and bags with unknown contents were carried to the secure side of the airport where the planes are.

We watched as a security guard let people with purses, coolers and suitcases
walk right through – bags unchecked.

Even more surprising, some of the people you trust to keep you safe planned it this way.

So for four and a half hours a night, all you need is a employee badge and you can get access to the secure side of Sky Harbor Airport without being searched.  It’s been like this for two years:

In 2005, airport officials hired an outside company to handle security during the times when passenger flights are done for the day. The documents said the guards would not search personal items or the people.

Here’s the rub: A TSA memo we obtained requires whoever controls airport access to follow federal guidelines that, “provide security against an unauthorized weapon, explosive, or incendiary onto an aircraft.”

It’s tough to prevent that if you’re not checking bags. It’s even tougher if you’re asleep.

One on-duty security guard we talked to said it was hard sometimes to keep from falling asleep. In fact, a document we obtained, given to the airport from law enforcement – proves one guard did fall asleep for nearly 20 minutes.
 
Our airport source said it happens a lot.

“I’ve seen security guards fast asleep where they’ve not even looked up to see somebody walk through the checkpoint,” she said.

I would like to believe that in a post-9/11 America, that airport security would be taken a little more seriously.  It seems that in Phoenix, the threat is not considered real. 

Full Story.

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