MFL Security Sweep 07/04/2004

I was riding the MFL into town today Westbound into Center City. I never saw this before, but when we arrived at Spring Garden Station, a Transit Police officer, who was dressed more like a Phila Highway Patrol Officer walked through the entire train and gave a good look at all of us like we did something wrong.

A sign of the times I suppose.

We got off at 5th Street, and to my expectations there were plenty of Transit Cops and PHL police there. This was about 11:15A when all the hoop-la was going on at Independence Hall which no one was allowed near.

I don't mind the added security, but these guys act like their all vigilant against a transparent security threat, but any other day of the year, one could be lying dead on the tracks and these guys wouldn't give you a second look. I know from personal experience.

Anyone witness anything out of the ordinary today on the rest of the system?

There was a head of state at Ind. Mall Sunday. As a Philadelphia resident, I expect, no, I demand increased security to protect such events.

How bad would we look if the president of Afghanistan, arguably the most dangerous place on earth, was assassinated in Philadelphia? To avoid that kind of humiliation we should all be willing to tolerate the glaring eyes of a few transit cops.

If I'm not mistaken, Karzai and Bush were actually BOTH in Philadelphia that day... making Philadelphia a high-interest target for terrorists. The transit cop glared at you, but didn't actually approach, detain, or question you? Given the potential of what could have happened that day, I'd say suck it up.

My observation is that all of this security is as good as SEPTA's lip service on service restorations. I was in NYP yesterday, the heart of NYC's transporation, and a very high profile area. Yet I was able to wander onto a Amtrak train with no checks, no acknowledgements, nothing. No one cared that I was carrying a bag or that I didnt visiblly have a ticket. Yet on the street were (2) cops with machine guns. What good were they doing? Point? No consistency after we got tons of lip service from Washington that there would be added security for rail transit. There is none. None at all.

Umblehoon wrote:If I'm not mistaken, Karzai and Bush were actually BOTH in Philadelphia that day... making Philadelphia a high-interest target for terrorists.

Bush was in Philly?

Clinton was also here over the weekend, and while he's no longer President, I'm sure there's still some special security arrangements that are made when a former head of state visits the city.