Posted on
April 26, 2012 in
I wrote:
METRO says they went where the crime is, but if they had spent eight hours running drug dogs through Park-and-Ride buses they probably would have made as many weed cases, more cocaine cases, and some gun cases for good measure.
But affluent white folk ride Park-and-Ride buses. Affluent white folk don’t do their prostitution business on the bus, affluent white folk don’t plead guilty at the first court appearance, and affluent white folk have politicians who listen to them.
Much easier to go fishing where the fish don’t bite back.
Today I ran into a METRO police officer I knew (I used to be the lawyer for the METRO Police Officers Association, the METRO cops’ union). He’s not a reader of my blog, but unprompted he said almost exactly the same thing: “if we ran dogs through Park-and-Ride buses, we’d make a bunch of arrests, but those people would be up in arms, and it’d be a real headache.”
Well said.
I told him, “well, we’re here to make sure this causes some headaches.”
Great presentation at the Metro meeting.
Mark- here is what I see:
1. Metro Police & TSA planned this ” synchonized
Exercise” together;
2. They planned to practice on our fellow citizens;
3. To effectuate their Damn ” Police Exercise” they purposely chose impoverished neighborhoods, where people would be less able to speak out;
4. Given the number of prostitution arrests, it appears they targeted an area known for prostitution;
5. Their press release said this Exercise was synchronized and focused on anti-terrorism.
Who were the Metro PD synchronizing with?
George Grenias admitted this wasnt about looking for terrorists. I agree it wasn’t. That being the case, was was Metro PD involved in the first place?
6. The Metro Board has a fiduciary responsibility to the Community. There are some very bright folks on there: the Chair went to Yale. So I have to ask how can they be so ignorant of their own police departments activities? These are not just any activities but activities that were promoted in a press release and bragged on later? That lack of oversight by the Board concerns me.
7. The Board or Metro employees were less than candid in one particular area. The Chair assured all in attendance that so long as he was Chair the subject of random bag checks would never be put on the agenda – meaning adopted as a Metro Police policy. That was great to hear but of little comfort in light of the fact that Declaration came only after
– Metro issued press release they would do random bag checks;’
– metro issued statement they had done random bag checks;’
– Metro was criticized for same;
– Grenias issued his letter that the Previous bag check statements were erroneous.
– me thinks we are not idiots and either their is ineptitude or deceit and neither is good.
– the Chief stated they have worked with TSA in the past and press releases have indicated Metro plans more sweeps.
– I hope the Chair follows through and invites us to their committee meeting. If Metro Police pull this stunt again, today’s atrendance and outrage will look like kid stuff.
Robb Fickman
I generally prefer my governmental agencies inept.