Police on the T

[bobobb.livejournal.com]

I walk to work everyday, so I haven't commuted on the train in 3 years now.  But yesterday I had to get to the city so I hopped the train and there were two very buff, swat-team style cops with large guns -- I don't know my guns, but this sure wasn't a handgun, it extended about the length of his torso.  Is this a new thing?  Have there been military style police riding the rails for a while now?  I opted to take the next train but the other passengers seemed less surprised.

Comments

[kidsmokes.livejournal.com]

I take the t at least 4 times a day and I have never seen such a sight.

[incontango.livejournal.com]

If they were buff, perhaps they were going to a bachelorette party?

[head58.livejournal.com]

I see them at South Station every now and again. Not too uncommon.

[mattdm.livejournal.com]

My wife had her diaper bag searched by MBTA goons the other day.

It seems so silly — you can, since we basically still retain our constitutional rights, just decline the search and leave the station, so if she *were* a terrorist mommy, wouldn't she just have said "no thanks" and gone and blown up Porter Square instead?

What can it possibly accomplish, excepting of course the whole "getting the kids accustomed to living in a police state"?

[jadelennox]

I haven't been searched, but I have taken the bus at Harvard Square when everyone getting on the subway was getting searched. I've pretty much already decided on the class of things I'm willing to take the search for -- job interviews, catching planes, and getting to the hospital -- and otherwise I'm planning on declining the search and leaving the station if it ever comes up.

[pushupstairs.livejournal.com]

Of course, the correct option based on constitutional rights shouldn't be "decline the search and leave the station", it should be "decline the search and continue on doing whatever it is I was doing".

But the Constitution is already in shreds so I guess that doesn't matter anymore.

[nowalmart.livejournal.com]

I saw them at North Station on Friday morning. I do not normally go to North Station, so I do not know if they are a fixture there or not. It is possible there was a determination that this weekend was a possible security issue with Cinco de Mayo and hence security was upped.

Not that I agree with that, but it is one possible explanation.

[lac.livejournal.com]

I've seen them around every now and again. And there was some kind of "investigation" last week...Thursday evening to be exact. I had to wait awhile at Central Sq and the announcement had to do with a police investigation.

I never see buff guys though...sadly.

[thetathx1138.livejournal.com]

They are an uncommon sight.

I've got to ask, why would you assume otherwise?

[kidsmokes.livejournal.com]

because america is slowly turning into a police state, maybe?

Pet peeve here

[thetathx1138.livejournal.com]

While there are threats to our civil liberties, and actions of the current administration do indeed concern me, hyperbole is both dangerous to those working to protect our civil liberties because it makes them look like Chicken Littles, and it's insulting to the people around the world who DO live in a police state.

[kidsmokes.livejournal.com]

Hence why I used the verb slowly in conjunction with the word is. Making the statement both grammatically and factually correct. That doesn't insinuate at all that law enforcement, TSA and T officials should not be respected just as any other person doing their job and following the orders of their superiors nor do I see how it insults anyone living in a police state.

[rising-moon.livejournal.com]

For a few years now, about once every month, I'll see four SWAT officers on the Downtown Crossing concourse as I'm coming up the stairs from the train. I barely notice them any more.

Last Friday, though, there was a whole team of eight on the concourse at Davis T. They were heavily armed and counting travellers; every tenth person to reach the bottom of the escalators got wanded, and their bag searched. I've never seen that many police officers at Davis.

[mattdm.livejournal.com]

That's super-awesome. I'm glad we're kept so safe from TERRORISTS WHO CAN'T COUNT TO TEN.

training exercise?

[jabad.livejournal.com]

I thought that the counting to ten thing and such made it look a lot like a training exercise.
Ie, the buff dudes weren't there to keep us safe, just to practice keeping us safe.

[ellf.livejournal.com]

Thirding the "decline and leave" trend. Their theater of homeland security can prance on someone else, thanks!

[beezy515.livejournal.com]

The MBTA and the Transportation Security Administration have been conducting random terror drills over the past week. It's been reported on the news, but of course they won't say how long these drills are going to last. The drills are preparation in case the threat level goes up to orange. If the alert level goes up, they will be conducting bag checks more routinely.

[tt02144.livejournal.com]

I don't understand why people so readily accept searches at airports, courthouses, Boston City Hall, Sports/Concert venues, etc., and balk when it comes to the T? I'd rather have my bag searched than be blown up by a terrorist (does anyone remember the attacks in Japan and Spain?). After all, security is the reason for the searches elsewhere, why not the T?

[ron_newman]

I don't accept that courthouses and Boston City Hall should search you, either. Sports and concert venues are private, and they only care whether you're smuggling in alcoholic beverages.

[wallacestreet.livejournal.com]

After all, security is the reason for the searches elsewhere, why not the T your house?

[pierceheart.livejournal.com]

like sports and concert venues, airports, specifically airplanes, are private property.

I hate it myself.

[kidsmokes.livejournal.com]

most concerts search your bags because of copyright issues.

[mikexpop.livejournal.com]

I was patted down and had to empty my pockets when I went to go see Tenacious D at the Orpheum. The band encourages audience taping and trading (http://www.archive.org/details/TenaciousD), so it was clearly the venue's decision. Since someone was able to get a minidisc player and microphone (http://ia340941.us.archive.org/1/items/tend2006-11-28.tend2006-11-28.aud.flac16/identifier.jpg?cnt=0), they clearly weren't too concerned with copyright issues.

[nowalmart.livejournal.com]

I object to the idea that everyone "readily accepts searches at airports" and other places. I have complained to the TSA about searches, I have complained to supervisors when TSA agents did not follow their own protocol, and I have lobbied to have most of the TSA regulations eliminated. All in all, I would say I am very vocal in my disagreement with "security" at airports.

As someone who does not own a car, though, I have little choice when it comes to traveling far distances. I have taken Greyhound on occasion, and Amtrak is slowly phasing in similar "Security measures".

As far as you willingly giving up some of your privacy and civil liberties, I am disappointed the TSA and others are succeeding in their mission of creating a false sense of security.

[tt02144.livejournal.com]

I think it's pretty naive to think that security is a waste of time, or an infringement. I'd rather have someone look in my bag than to be on an airplane which is hijacked or blown up. There are no hijackings of Israeli aircraft, due to their stringent security measures. I find it almost funny that people don't see how the world has changed, and how terrorism has really taken root in many parts of the world.
And by the way, in answer to one of the comments above, "if we're searched at airports, courthouses, etc., why not my home?" - all I can say is, I guess if I were inviting several hundred strangers carrying bags and suitcases into my home, perhaps searching them would be an option!