Just Second Day on Job, TSO Finds Firearm
News & Happenings
November 19, 2007
TSOs Elizabeth Pope and Justin Smith
at a checkpoint X-ray machine.
Only 48 hours into her new job at Rogue Valley Airport, Transportation Security Officer Elizabeth Pope discovered a firearm while working the X-ray machine. Inside the passenger's bag was a Charter Arms Bulldog .44-caliber firearm loaded with five rounds of ammunition.
"TSO Pope is an outstanding new officer," said Rogue Valley Assistant Federal Security Officer Steven Crawford, "and the fact that she discovered the handgun before completing her OJT [on-the-job training] really validates our training process."
Earlier the same month, TSOs David Hoffman and Thomas Morgan of Rogue Valley discovered a loaded .25-caliber Beretta in a passenger's carry-on bag.
In both incidents, the passengers were cited by police and issued civil penalties by TSA. The passengers claimed that they forgot the weapons were in their bags.
