Editing Washington Metro (section)

==== Random bag searches ====
On October 27, 2008, the [[Metro Transit Police Department]] announced plans to immediately begin random searches of backpacks, purses, and other bags. Transit police would search riders at random before boarding a bus or entering a station. It also explained its intent to stop anyone acting suspiciously.<ref>{{cite news |last=Sun |first=Lena H. |title=Metro to Randomly Search Riders' Bags |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/27/AR2008102700767.html |newspaper=The Washington Post |page=A01 |date=October 28, 2008 |access-date=September 18, 2017 |archive-date=December 23, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161223042516/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/27/AR2008102700767.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Metro claims that "Legal authority to inspect packages brought into the Metro system has been established by the court system on similar types of inspections in mass transit properties, airports, military facilities and courthouses."<ref>{{cite press release |publisher=Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority |date=October 27, 2008 |title=Metro Transit Police to begin bag inspection program |url=https://www.wmata.com/about/news/pressreleasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=2324 |access-date=February 16, 2018 |archive-date=February 17, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180217083034/https://www.wmata.com/about/news/pressreleasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=2324 |url-status=live }}</ref> Metro Transit Police Chief Michael Taborn stated that, if someone were to turn around and simply enter the system through another escalator or elevator, Metro has "a plan to address suspicious behavior".<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/discussion/2008/10/27/DI2008102702325.html |title=Metro Transit's Top Cop Discusses New Search Policy |date=October 28, 2008 |newspaper=The Washington Post |access-date=January 27, 2009 |first=Michael |last=Taborn |archive-date=January 6, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100106052518/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/discussion/2008/10/27/DI2008102702325.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Security expert [[Bruce Schneier]] characterized the plan as "[[security theater]] against a [[Bruce Schneier#movie plot threat|movie plot threat]]" and does not believe random bag searches actually improve security.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/discussion/2008/10/30/DI2008103003705.html |title=Bruce Schneier Talks Metro Bag Searches |date=October 31, 2008 |newspaper=The Washington Post |access-date=January 27, 2009 |archive-date=November 7, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121107043710/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/discussion/2008/10/30/DI2008103003705.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

The Metro Riders' Advisory Council recommended to WMATA's board of directors that Metro hold at least one public meeting regarding the search program. {{As of|2008|12}}, Metro had not conducted a single bag search.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/06/AR2008120601866.html |title=Discussion Overdue On Metrorail's Bag-Search Policy |author=Dr. Gridlock |date=December 7, 2008 |newspaper=The Washington Post |page=C02 |access-date=September 18, 2017 |archive-date=March 28, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180328102730/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/06/AR2008120601866.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

In 2010 Metro once again announced that it would implement random bag searches, and conducted the first such searches on December 21, 2010.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/Metro-Begins-Random-Bag-Searches-112240639.html |title=Metro Begins Random Bag Searches |date=December 21, 2010 |work=[[WRC-TV]] |access-date=February 5, 2017 |archive-date=February 5, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170205182349/http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/Metro-Begins-Random-Bag-Searches-112240639.html |url-status=live }}</ref> The searches consist of swabbing bags and packages for explosive residue, and [[X-ray]]ing or opening any packages which turned up positive. On the first day of searches, at least one false positive for explosives was produced, which Metro officials indicated could occur for a variety of reasons including if a passenger had recently been in contact with firearms or been to a firing range.<ref>{{cite news |last=Tyson |first=Ann Scott |date=December 21, 2010 |title=Metro bag inspections cause minor customer annoyances |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/12/21/AR2010122105534.html |url-status=live |access-date=September 18, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180328164448/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/12/21/AR2010122105534.html |archive-date=March 28, 2018}}</ref> The D.C. Bill of Rights Coalition and the Montgomery County Civil Rights Coalition circulated a petition against random bag searches, taking the position that the practice violates the [[Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution]] and would not improve security.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local-beat/Groups-Launch-Petition-Against-Metros-Bag-Searches.html |title=Groups Launch Petition Against Metro Bag Searches |date=December 20, 2010 |work=MSNBC |access-date=January 4, 2011 |archive-date=November 10, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211110222007/https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/groups-launch-petition-against-metros-bag-searches/1861078/ |url-status=live }}</ref> On January 3, 2011, Metro held a public forum for the searches at a Metro Riders' Advisory Council meeting, at which more than 50 riders spoke out, most of them in opposition to the searches. However at the meeting Metro officials called random bag inspections a "success" and claimed that few riders had complained.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.wtop.com/?nid=598&sid=2220916 |title=Metro riders sound off on bag searches |date=January 4, 2011 |work=WTOP |access-date=January 4, 2011 |archive-date=August 21, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160821050537/http://wtop.com/?nid=598&sid=2220916 |url-status=live }}</ref>

After a prolonged absence, {{as of |2017|02|lc=y}}, bag searches have resumed at random stations throughout the Washington Metro area.{{Citation needed|date=November 2017}}