G.O.O.D

And be prepared to show your newly implanted RFID digital “papers.”

Source: washingtonpost.com

Metro officials yesterday announced plans to immediately begin random searches of backpacks, purses and other bags in a move they say will protect riders and also guard their privacy and minimize delays.

The program is modeled after one begun three years ago in New York that has withstood legal challenges. However, experts said it is difficult to measure the effectiveness of such searches, beyond assuring the public that police are being vigilant. New York officials declined to say what they have found in their searches; none of the other transit systems conducting random searches have found any explosives, officials said.

Metro officials said the program was not in response to a specific threat but prompted by increased security concerns before next week’s election and the inauguration as well as by the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and later bombings of commuter trains in Madrid, London and elsewhere.

Although Metro police said the program will begin immediately, they would not say which of their 86 rail stations or more than 12,000 bus stops would be subject to inspection on any given day. On some days, there might be no inspections, or there might be several. Fifteen officers have been trained to perform searches, and more will be trained, officials said.

Checkpoints will be set up at Metro facilities, and passengers will go through inspections before entering a rail station or boarding a bus. The random searches will focus on detecting explosives, and it is likely that some riders will have their bags inspected before next Tuesday’s election, officials said.

Metro, the second-busiest subway system in the country, after New York’s, carries more than 1.2 million passenger trips on a typical weekday.

“We realize that all Americans everywhere are at some risk from terrorism, and that those of us who live and work in the region of the nation’s capital face increased risks,” Metro Transit Police Chief Michael Taborn said at a news conference yesterday.

Full Story

This entry was posted on Wednesday, October 29th, 2008 at 7:29 am and is filed under Police state. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.