Fam Swat Team ???????????

[ud22206]

I don't think it will be a full duty assignment. More like a response team such as your not so big city departments. Easier to justify.

As for the budget problem....not necassarily going to affect every branch. The DHS may not get the $ it wants, but the critical departments under it do. They will just cut programs from their "not critical" areas. Remember, the USSS is under DHS and you never hear any problems with $. I doubt TSA will. They don't want another 9/11 or other event and then have a lawsuit from the victimns familes saying "You cut money?" It is not good PR. It is a lot easier to just cut another prgram.

If you think USSS doen not have budget issues. we are not exempt from DHS cuts

[Norm357]

Originally Posted by Big Sexy. Fams can be and should be, more than seat warmers. Force protection aboard aircraft is the FAMS bread and butter, but not all the Service is capable of, nor should be limited to.

Big, so what else should the FAMS be doing? Active investigations? Writing tickets? IMveryHO, The FAM service should be taking that extra money and letting you giuys train more and hire more Marshals. My .02 cents.

[Bearcat06]

The FAM service should be taking that extra money and letting you giuys train more and hire more Marshals. My .02 cents.

Exactly......

Having all those toys and a Team or two would be nice....but what about hiring more FAMS to cover more flights....?

[igneous]

Exactly......

Having all those toys and a Team or two would be nice....but what about hiring more FAMS to cover more flights....?

I agree. Like me, Hire me! I am almost done with the whole process

[Detroitcop4328]

I agree. Like me, Hire me! I am almost done with the whole process

I'm with you Igneous! I just completed my physical exam today and now begins the waiting game once more. I guess the last thing to do is the PTA and wait again for a final offer...

[igneous]

I'm with you Igneous! I just completed my physical exam today and now begins the waiting game once more. I guess the last thing to do is the PTA and wait again for a final offer...

Yeah, all I have is my psych interview on friday and pta

[SeVere]

We need more FAM's in the air, not in specialized units. Hire more FAM's before buying a bunch of toys for da boys (and girls too).

[intheaircop2]

The only reason we need new FAMs is because we are losing so many. We are just replacing the number we are short. We do not need to hire another one thousand new FAMs. Just cool off guys. You will get hired when I say so.(LOL) Just wait like everyone else. I had to wait when I put in for it back in 2001.

[igneous]

The only reason we need new FAMs is because we are losing so many. We are just replacing the number we are short. We do not need to hire another one thousand new FAMs. Just cool off guys. You will get hired when I say so.(LOL) Just wait like everyone else. I had to wait when I put in for it back in 2001.

I thought FO's like NY are still down by a lot of people? Obviously they aren't hiring like they did in 2001, but they also don't have the same amount of applicants.

[Bearcat06]

We do not need to hire another one thousand new FAMs.

No offense....but I think you do.

I would feel much better if your agency did that instead of wasting money trying to gear up a couple of TAC teams.......when 90% of the Airports have their own TAC teams already....and the other 10% have assets in place so if something happens....a local team with be there faster than what you guys could muster up.......

Of course, after it's all over with, the FBI would show up to have the Press Conference and pat themselves on the back for a job well done........:rolleyes:

[Big Sexy]

I would feel much better if your agency did that instead of wasting money trying to gear up a couple of TAC teams.......when 90% of the Airports have their own TAC teams already....and the other 10% have assets in place so if something happens....a local team with be there faster than what you guys could muster up

We need more FAM's in the air, not in specialized units. Hire more FAM's before buying a bunch of toys for da boys (and girls too).

As Big stated before, the purpose of the teams is not so they can storm an airport in case of some incident. It wouldn't hurt if they were nearby, but that isn't the reason for them. Katrina gave birth to the need for such an animal within the FAMS. The Fams secured the perimeter, secured the terminals, got the tower back up and running, screened the passengers (disarming many of the same passengers), ran the tugs, marshaled in the aircraft, assisted in boarding the aircraft, etc, etc. The FAMS saw that the fams on the ground (all who were volunteers), were lacking in materials and equipment, for we were caught flat footed in responding.

If there is, God forbid, another terrorist attack or natural disaster that cripples another large urban area as Katrina did, part of the teams mission will be to get in , secure and make that airport operational again.

Big first got wind of this back in December, even got a look at the long guns that will be purchased. The word "sweet" comes to mind. Regardless of any budget concerns, or recruiting concerns, this is pretty much a done deal, for a lot of the equipment has already been purchased. So all can debate it, cry foul, argue jurisdiction until the
cows come home, but that fat lady......has already sung and left the stage.

One can argue about where the FAMS need to spend their money or that it's a waste of time, but answer this. If DEA has responsibility for narcotics and ATF for firearms and explosives, why are there FBI agents assigned to work both? Yet, the FBI claims they don't have the man power to dedicate more agents to counter-terorism. When there are two government agencies dedicated to work those two areas. Seems like a waste of money and resources to Big, yet were are the cry's denouncing this duplication of work?

[tunlrat]

Sounds like a recruiting tool to me. Why have another tactical team sitting around doing nothing (okay, training), when you already have 1 or 2 of them sitting around the airport or nearby in the city. Makes no sense to me.

My question is why were FAMs sent to New Orleans anyway? No disrespect pare, but weren't there other Fed agencies available, FPS, FBI police, etc. Was it a joint Federal LE effort or did some big wig volunteer the Service?

[intheaircop2]

I was one sent to New Orleans. We were not tasked to walk the streets. Our only mission was the airport. When I got there it was shut down and no police to be found. We were tasked to get it open and running so we could fly the people out. The TSA had screeners there and the FAMs were the law enforcement. We did not have any problems and everyone got the heck on a plane. Yes there were a handful of other people (US Marshal , FPS) but I only saw about 5-10 officers. The FAMs were deployed because we could get it done faster. The FAMs main mission is civil aviation so why not send us. We were also covering every flight out of there because the passengers were not screened due to little electricity at the check points. I think the 300 or so FAMs who were there did a outstanding job and we did what we had to do.

A FAM friend of mine swapped his bag of chips for a handgun from a passenger becasue the passenger did not want to leave the weapon at the airport because he would never see it again. The passenger was so hungry that he gave up the handgun with no questions. I thought it was funny. I had to tell this one guy that he could not bring his Bushmaster AR15 on the flight. He kindly gave it to one of the FAM supervisors and he got back in line.

So to answer the question, yes the Air Marshal Service was the right agency to call to get the airport up and running again. Yes we were not given any tools to do the job but we got it done. We left New Orleans when the Army Rangers showed up and no other agency showed up at the airport as far as I know.