DA promises to prosecute overly touchy pat downs

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Lyanne Melendez

SAN MATEO COUNTY, Calif. (KGO) -- The San Mateo district attorney's office has a warning for all TSA personnel at SFO -- anyone inappropriately touching a passenger during a security pat down will be prosecuted.

Incoming San Mateo DA Steve Wagstaffe says any complaints of inappropriate touching during an airport security pat down will land on his desk.

"The case would be reviewed and if we could prove the elements of it, that it was inappropriately done with a sexual or lewd intent, that person would be prosecuted," he said.

The charge -- sexual battery.

Read more here.

I think it is interesting that the TSA proposes to make a child under 12 not subject to a pat down. I am not sure I want my 13 year old granddaughter subject to a full pat down as some describe it. Why the age 12 rather than 16 or 17? Girls at 13-16 are more body conscious and it seems that cutting the age off at 12 is too arbitrary.