The reason for our opposition to WMATA's decision to implement the searches was succinctly and well stated by one of our Members who wrote to the WMATA Board of Directors. The bag search idea strikes me as particularly dubious, an example of 'security theatre' that has very little likelihood of increasing our security. At best, it will move a terrorist from one target to another (perhaps simply by
entering a Metro station through a different entrance), which might be worthwhile if there were no costs associated with the idea. Each time we take another chip out of personal privacy, each time we insert a new police function into the everyday life of innocent people, we pay a price by becoming more like our adversary and less like a free people. Such intrusions should only occur as a last ditch way of saving lives, where there is a reasonably strong likelihood of success. This project does not pass a balancing test because it is so full of loopholes and ways for a terrorist to avoid being searched that it simply makes no sense.”
Did You Know?
- You have a guaranteed 4th Amendment protection against unwarranted search and seizure.
- WMATA is now conducting random bag searches outside selected Metro Stations and Buses.
- This program is completely ineffective in it's scale. The WMATA system consists of 86 Rail stations and 12,000 bus stops. Metro’s trains and buses carry more than 1.2 million passenger every weekday, and officials acknowledge the limitations of the plan.
- Should a terrorist see a security checkpoint, they may simply go to another entrance or elevator to the metro station. Once again, the bag search program is merely "security theatre" with no real effect.
- This new policy is in response to a grant from Homeland Security that was not specifically earmarked for bag searches and equipment. It includes millions of dollars that may be utilized for other law enforcement tools that actually make the Metro system safer, such as more patrol officers, equipment including cameras and radios, or new training techniques.
- One of the ion scanning machines that WMATA uses to perform the search costs roughly $25,000. This is half of the starting pay of a Metro Transit Police Officer's salary.
- WMATA and MTPD officials have stated publicly that this new security measure is in response to no specific threat.
- The Riders Advisory Committee of Metro (RAC) --- the official citizens advisory group for Metro --- voted 16-1-1 to halt the bag searches, but was ignored.
- If you do exercise your right to refuse the search, WMATA officials have stated publicly that those persons will be followed and observed, the extent of which has not been explained to the public.
---If you see a random metro bag search being conducted anywhere within the WMATA system, please alert us immediately.---
