Results tagged “tsa”

William Bratton may be Chief of the LAPD (not for long), but city hall actually has three other totally separate police departments, which may be confusing to some. There's the Port Police, Office of Public Safety--they police city properties like parks and libraries and not city streets like the LAPD--and the Los Angeles World Airports Police who are in charge protecting airport properties like LAX, Van Nuys, Ontario and Palmdale. Although not confirmed, LAWA's Assistant Chief, Erroll Southers, is headed to run to the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), according to sources to the Associated Press. Despite funny names like Thousands Standing Around, the agency is one of the few that blogs and really takes their comment section to heart by implementing policy changes based on the public's complaints and suggestions.

Yesterday evening, the local United States Coast Guard Sector entered a new era of public information by launching a blog. This is "a revolution on how we deal with information management and the new social media, or some people call it, Web 2.0.," Admiral Thad W. Allen sternly said in a video. "We are not living in the same information environment we grew up in, it's critically important that senior leaders of the United States Coast Guard understand what technology is doing today, how it is changing, how we must change with it."

With one TSA Officer and one other security guard stationed on both sides of this "Welcome to Los Angeles" sign in LAX's Terminal 7 right before passengers enter the baggage claim area, how did this small tooth-gapping graffiti happen?

Well, not so fast, but starting last Friday, two test shoe scanners went into use at Los Angeles International Airport. "The TSA is well aware that the removal of shoes is not our most popular policy," they stated via their blog, which is known for taking complaints and criticism in the comments section to improve services. "Since this is a test to collect data, passengers will still need to remove their shoes prior to walking through the magnetometer. Hey, don’t kill the messenger. I’m just giving you a heads up! :)"

Of all airports in the nation, LAX has earned the number one spot for airports that make the most money when it comes to coins left at security, usually left in the gray buckets and sometimes purposefully left behind if travelers are headed to a foreign country. About $30,000 a year is collected at LAX, according to the Transportation Security Administration, per KNBC. Where does the money go? LAX officials told LAist they don't see a penny as it is collected by the feds. "It all goes to our general operating fund," Nico Melendez of the TSA told us.

Before boarding a flight, a woman claims she was forced by the TSA to remove her nipple rings. They gave her pliers to do it with says her attorney.

Chikezie Eze was voted off "American Idol" last night, "taking with him 50 percent of this year's Idolette Top-10 personality pool," Lisa de Morales sniped in her Washington Post TV column. For the second week in a row, Chikezie chose to sing a ballad -- “If Only For One Night” by Luther Vandross -- after judges warned him last week that song choice is of the upmost importance at this stage in the contest. Last week, judges were not impressed with his ballad choice of "I've Just Seen A Face," and Tuesday night's performance was called "old school" by Randy and "cheesy" by Simon. The 22-year-old Inglewood native then explained that he did not listen to the judges' advice because his voice coach told him to follow his heart. It obviously didn't work.

7:43 The spin is winding down and the media room is beginning to empty. Reporters are putting the finishing touches on their debate articles and the crew is beginning to clean up the bottles and box dinners provided. But the next six days until Super Tuesday will be anything but quiet. Commercials will continue to fill the airwaves, candidates will have events around Southern California and LAist will party as we watch the results. Thanks for tuning in and stay tuned to LAist for all your political coverage.

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Bundle up folks. This isn't a line to get into LAX; this is a line to get through TSA security at LAX's United Terminal. Once you get inside, you go back out to go back in. With yesterday's delays, you may be thinking this picture was taken then. No, it was taken last Saturday afternoon. We can't even imagine what it will be like today and in the coming days....