Results tagged “randombagsearch”

As if travel and transit weren't already bad enough this Thanksgiving weekend, federal authorities are warning of a potential terrorist plot on the New York City subway system during this holiday season. And while the FBI may be calling the threat "plausible but unsubstantiated," WTOP is reporting that D.C.'s Metro system is responding by placing itself on alert as well. A Metro spokesperson told WTOP that they have "no reason to believe that the D.C. system is a target," but Metro Transit Police officers are now being put on a state of "increased vigilance and visibility," meaning you may notice more transit police in Metro stations and at bus stops.

Someone's put together a sensible guide to how to go about refusing to be searched by Metro Transit Police. The Citizen's Guide to Refusing DC Metro Searches has a downloadable half-page PDF you can print out and carry with you or give to friends. A disclaimer takes pains to note that the site isn't providing legal advice, but tips like staying calm, speaking clearly, not running, exiting the station promptly after refusing to be searched and not resisting should you be detained all seem like excellent advice.

The most ominous portion of yesterday's live washingtonpost.com chat with Metro Transit Police Chief Michael Taborn:

Washington, D.C.: I am opposed to these searches and plan on refusing any Metro officer's request to go through my bags. Because I'll be allowed to refuse search and turn around without being detained, I will simply enter the Metro through another escalator or elevator. How do you plan on addressing this loophole?

Continue reading "Be Careful How You Act if You Refuse to be Searched in Metro"

A lot of you have already weighed in with negative initial reactions to WMATA's plan to start a random bag search program on Metro. There's more information available now, with an official release and an expanded WaPo story, so let's break down exactly how this is purportedly going to work:

The Post gets out the first word of WMATA's official announcement that Metro Transit Police will begin conducting random bag searches on Metro. The policy will be similar to that of New York and Boston — both cities began random bag searches after the 2005 London Tube bombings. We'll most certainly have more on this later in the day.