I found the tone of this letter surprising...

As a Transportation Security Administration officer, I have been following the growing media frenzy regarding body scans and pat-downs now being implemented at airports around the country.

The fact is the full-body scanners are not a "virtual strip search" as many have described, and the pat-down procedure was changed in order to better find prohibited items potential terrorists could use to harm passengers or aircraft. The TSA was formed to protect the flying public, and many in our ranks are former military and law enforcement officers.

I find when we do our job in a courteous, professional manner, travelers are reassured they will reach their final destination safely.

Unfortunately, threat levels are fluid and the Department of Homeland Security must put into place evolving technology and procedures to protect our citizens. This is done in order to stay one step ahead of those who would do us harm. Anything less cannot and will not be tolerated.

John Jacobs; Memphis

On some level it sounds like he is saying that TSA agents "will not tolerate" limits to their power to search travelers. There is a real tension between civil liberties and law enforcement's desire to successfully catch bad guys. Its interesting to see it in print in the editorial pages of the USA Today.

Around the web:

The FBI is not in the business of spying on Americans; we are in the business of preventing acts of terrorism. We must be able to connect the dots between thousands of names and numbers that arise in terrorism and espionage cases.

The American public expects us to uphold the Constitution and to safeguard privacy rights and civil liberties.We must use all legal tools at our disposal and use them correctly. Anything less cannot and will not be tolerated.

John Miller, Assistant Director, FBI Office of Public Affairs, Washington

On the other hand...

"Police officers are expected to be beyond reproach," he said. "Anything less cannot and will not be tolerated by this department."

Anything less cannot and will not be tolerated...