Funny you mention malls, my buddy's brother works a LEO up in Nebraska and although it's not expressly written, they don't hire former TSA employees. When asked he said it's because "We're not running a 1930s/40s German Paramilitary org here."
I don't know about you guys but I've never seen a man, between 18-40, of possible Middle Eastern decent, ever look at the security station and step out of line to throw his box cutter and C-4 into nearby trash. I don't think it's because of the TSA discouraging that, I'd firmly put my money on the fact that they don't want another failed attack like Shanksville, PA- we fight back Ahmed!
http://articles.latimes.com/2007/feb...na-pilotguns11
^ This is probably why we haven't had a huge wave of attacks (old article but still true today) via US Airlines.
One researcher from a D.C. think tank I met some time ago- can't remember which one- said that he thinks we haven't seen many terror attacks because the bigger target is our troops in a more easily accessible environment (IE: Afghanistan/Iraq)...