Equipment and Practices
The air marshals may be deployed on as little as an hour's notice and at high risk locations. Undercover air marshals were deployed on flights in and out of New Orleans during Super Bowl XXXVI in 2002; flights coming near Salt Lake City during the 2002 Winter Olympics; and cities visited by the President.
Federal air marshals carry the Sig Sauer P229 service pistol in a .357 SIG chambering and also carry a baton. According to an anonymous air marshal, they are trained to "shoot to stop", typically firing at the largest part of the body (the chest) and then the head to "incapacitate the nervous system".
The US Federal Air Marshal Service signed a multi-million dollar contract for procurement of the SIG Sauer P250 Compact chambered for the .357 SIG cartridge in 2009.
Federal Air Marshal Frank Terreri of the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association (FLEOA) successfully sued senior executives of the Department of Homeland Security complaining that policies prevented air marshals from speaking out that current policies (such as their strict dress code, "Federal Air Marshal discount" mandatory grouping hotel policy, airport policies that force air marshals to walk up security checkpoint exit lanes, and priority aircraft pre-boarding before handicapped passengers and passengers flying with small children) make marshals easy targets for any possible hijackers, making them stand out as the government agents concealing firearms, and thus eliminating their effectiveness. A policy change in August 2006 allows air marshals to wear whatever clothing they want and stay at any hotel to protect their anonymity.
Read more about this topic: Federal Air Marshal Service
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