Random Searches Yield Little

A front-page story by Patrick McGeehan in today’s New York Times Metro Section says it all in its title: “A Week of Random Backpack Searches Yields Little Drama.” The past week has resulted in several thousand searches of the bags of passengers in more than 400 subway stations. Results? According to police and transit officials, one arrest for possession of illegal fireworks, no legal challenges (yet) and “minimal resistance,” despite the fact the NYDS is not tracking how many people decline to submit to a search. The Port Authority Police Department, which oversees the PATH trains, did keep track and of the 8,010 briefcases, backpacks and purses searched (without any arrests), only five people refused and walked away without incident.