Is that a police badge or just TSA?

If you want to look official,–like you shouldn’t be pushed around, you need an important looking badge that looks like a police officer’s. That’s the latest idea of TSA. Soon screeners at major national airport checkpoints will have them.

Evidently, without a badge that looks official, some passengers haven’t been minding their manners while going through screening. A badge that looks like a police officer’s says, “I’m an important person. Trifle with me, and you’re toast.”

Well, maybe not that extreme, but at least quit arguing with us or hitting us–whatever it is that drives TSA employees nuts when people are making their way through a screening line.

TSA employees are pleased as punch with their shiny new badges, but police officers are put off by them. The worry is that if TSA officers looks like police officers, people may think TSA employees can do more than screen people and luggage. People may start shouting out, “Arrest that man,” when displeased.

Also, if TSA folks get to wear badges too, than what makes a police badge all that special? There’s one thing I thought of. It says, “Police.”

But perhaps the police do have a point, and the TSA badge does lessen the clout and status of police officers. I’m on the fence. The badge in the picture, by the way, is just a toy.