If it makes you feel any better I recently got asked for my passport while deadheading (positive space) on my own airline by one of my own company's gate agents, while in uniform with company ID. There's no consistency - which is why I'm glad to see the crewpass system finally.
Now they need to mandate a similar database of all LEO's who carry weapons onboard flights. As it stands right now there is no way for the TSA to tell if a guy bringing a weapon on board has a real or a fake badge...