Unsuck DC Metro: (DISTURBING, NSFW) Even More L'Enfant Violence

Friday, January 7, 2011

(DISTURBING, NSFW) Even More L'Enfant Violence

Have the Metro Cops just ceded L'Enfant? Perhaps "increasing patrols" is not enough at this point.

Addition: This was posted on the same FB page as the first video from L'Enfant. It was posted there Dec. 31, 2010

Comments (43)

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+7 Vote up Vote down

Aldog · 741 weeks ago

Metro opens doors!

+4 Vote up Vote down

Don · 741 weeks ago

Is that guy wearing a uniform?

+9 Vote up Vote down

@seanr1978 · 741 weeks ago

You know, I think that the fact that Metro Transit Police isn't connected to 911 is a huge problem. Who the hell is going to know that number? I fail to understand why a 911 dispatcher couldn't get MTP officers out as easily as any other police force.

1 reply · active less than 1 minute ago

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Thomas · 741 weeks ago

If you call 911 the police will be dispatched. Metro Police, DC police, Zoo Police, if you call 911 does it matter what uniform the Officer who shows up is wearing???

+5 Vote up Vote down

@anthonydpaul · 741 weeks ago

Did nobody search his bags before he got into the system? Where are the bomb-sniffing dogs!?

1 reply · active less than 1 minute ago

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@richdevans · 741 weeks ago

And that's a great point. Rather than spending time with pointless bag searches, how about more patrols within high valued hubs like Metro Center, Gallery Place and L'Enfant. Because if this could happen so could a shooting, bomb or anything else.

+11 Vote up Vote down

unsuckdcmetro 92p · 741 weeks ago

The uniform appears to be that of a WMATA employee.

2 replies · active 741 weeks ago

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@kara_h · 741 weeks ago

Uniform? where?

0 Vote up Vote down

Jacob · 740 weeks ago

I wouldn't be surprised if they were kids of employees.

+11 Vote up Vote down

@hurricanedc · 741 weeks ago

Probably the 4th time I'll say this now, and I only keep saying it because I know I'm right. We either need a complete reform of MTPD or we need a private security company doing security.

+17 Vote up Vote down

hostagehoosier 70p · 741 weeks ago

I really hope they aren't picking fights on Metro and videotaping them just to get youtube hits.

2 replies · active 741 weeks ago

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GlenmontGirl · 741 weeks ago

I thought the same thing. The way the cameraman kept saying, "Ooh, that's gonna look good on the video" made it seem like he was, at the very least, deliberately trolling for fights and altercations to record on his camera.

+4 Vote up Vote down

Sam · 741 weeks ago

Of course they are. It's all about being the center of attention. And sites like this just provide them with the Youtube hits.

+20 Vote up Vote down

@ChrisHowdy · 741 weeks ago

WMATA and the Metro Transit Police apparently can't protect one station from teenagers...I'm VERY confident in their ability to protect the whole system from terrorists.

+9 Vote up Vote down

Brian · 741 weeks ago

What we DON'T need is a private security company. Private contractors are often a huge waste of money and are even less accountable than WMATA (I know, it boggles the mind). What we DO need is a responsive police department linked to 911. Instead of wasting time and Metro funds searching bags, MTPD should instead have officers in every station within the system, from open to close, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, until this outrageous situation is brought under control.

4 replies · active less than 1 minute ago

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@hurricanedc · 741 weeks ago

Good luck with that. MPDC isn't much better than MTPD if you ask me, but I'm not sure if it's a problem at the lower levels (e.g. the patrol officers) or the higher levels. Bet if you ask the average officer he'll tell you that his hands are usually too tied to ever do any effective policing.

+8 Vote up Vote down

Anon · 741 weeks ago

Personally, I think the National Guard could teach transit a thing or 2.

-1 Vote up Vote down

joeschmo · 741 weeks ago

Exactly who is going to pay for the massive increase in manpower that would be required to support such staffing?

0 Vote up Vote down

@kara_h · 741 weeks ago

The dimes.

+3 Vote up Vote down

Ted · 741 weeks ago

Does every metro employee carry a radio? This guy wouldn't be alone in the station, couldn't he just say "problem on the platform" and get other Metro employees to come help him?

1 reply · active less than 1 minute ago

+5 Vote up Vote down

Anon · 741 weeks ago

Station managers have a handset, transit, train drivers, and supervisors. I know people who have been shot or stabbed that are employees at metro. You need armed security.

+11 Vote up Vote down

phanie · 741 weeks ago

All I know is that the supposed increase in security at Gallery Place means 3 Metro Transit officers standing at the Station Manager's Office rather than 2. This week I've witnessed the following: kids sliding down the escalator hand rail to enter the station (not so much menacing, just stupid), Sprite bottles being thrown onto the tracks with the "try to make it burn" discussion and of course, groups of at least 20 kids standing around, yelling, cussing and generally getting in the way. Nothing too bad, but how much would it take to escalate the situation? Someone gets bumped, some adult tells them to stop and it's downhill. And the three transit officers will be standing around the station master's office.

+3 Vote up Vote down

4cops · 741 weeks ago

MTPD has lost focus on what policing techniques were always effective and passengers are paying the price for this. Addressing the quality of life issues serves multiple purposes 1) everyone in that area can see the officer taking enforcement action 2) this visibilty will definately discourage or prevent other types of illegal activity, Terrorism is a concern but MTPD has always been cognizant of the threat, But unfortunately they have developed tunnel vision about terrorism and is ignoring everything else.

+7 Vote up Vote down

F'n JD · 741 weeks ago

Why has the FB poster not been arrested as being a material witness to what appears to be now two separate planned crimes?

Arrest him and hold him until he fingers the other parties.

+5 Vote up Vote down

JacksonsGirl · 741 weeks ago

I'm sorry, but this one looks a little staged... I hope if it wasnt that the man who was hit is okay. And the person who keeps taping should either stop and do something about it, or just stop all together.

1 reply · active less than 1 minute ago

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Sam · 741 weeks ago

You assume that the person who is taping is on the side of the victim rather than the assailant.

+4 Vote up Vote down

GunsStopThugs · 741 weeks ago

Carry a gun. Guns stop thugs.

1 reply · active less than 1 minute ago

+3 Vote up Vote down

anon · 741 weeks ago

The hell they do. They may stop one guy, and then all the thugs will have bigger guns the next time. Worst. Deterrent. Ever.

+1 Vote up Vote down

betty · 741 weeks ago

This looks staged to me too!
I never see Transit until something happens then they come out of the break rooms, from outside, or the kiose. Sad.

1 reply · active less than 1 minute ago

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@kara_h · 741 weeks ago

I agree, unplanned attacks are not usually quite so 1 sided and down for the count in 1 blow. It also seems the cameraman was a bit to ready with the cellphone, as if he had been given a head-up what was going to happen (quick! how fast can you set up a vid with your phone?) ... in a normal situation we would join the action in progress.

+1 Vote up Vote down

Anon · 741 weeks ago

This looks staged to me too!

+2 Vote up Vote down

jen · 741 weeks ago

This looks staged to me too! Who is taking these photos/video at an angle?

+2 Vote up Vote down

Yoda · 741 weeks ago

If this was staged, then the guy who gets hit and falls backward deserves an Oscar for both his acting and realistic stunt man skills.

But staged or not, where are those Keystone Metro cops when you need them? I guess they're too busy with their own dramatics, playing TSA wannabes.

It's just mind-boggling how stupid Metro is, spending their precious police resources on intimidating honest commuters in order to catch imaginary terrorists rather than actually trying to make us really feel safer by visibly patrolling stations to deter and stop the real criminals. SHAME ON YOU METRO!

+2 Vote up Vote down

Yoda · 741 weeks ago

Gosh. couldn't somebody have used their cell phone to call Michael Taborn at 1-800-EAT-****?

That's another thing: who can remember that stupid nine-digit number for emergencies that Taborn announces every 15 minutes on their PA system?

Idiots!!!

1 reply · active less than 1 minute ago

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@kara_h · 741 weeks ago

Simple, its, 202-962 (I think) ..... Ummm.

This from sitting down relaxed in front of a computer with time to think about my reply. In an emergency situation I would be lucky if I could even remember the 202.

+1 Vote up Vote down

Yoda · 741 weeks ago

Gosh. couldn't somebody have used their cell phone to call Michael Taborn at 1-800-EAT-****?

+4 Vote up Vote down

@scory · 741 weeks ago

Security, properly understood, means freedom from fear -- including physical injury, violence and intimidation. Metro is failing to ensure the security of its riders, plain and simple. It's not just at L'Enfant Plaza, Gallery Place, and whatever other location that draws crowds of disenfranchised youth -- it's also escalators that don't fail, trains that run smoothly, and parking lots that aren't obstacle courses of construction (Rhode Island Avenue comes to mind).

It's called risk management, and it's standard practice in every well-managed. How Metro forgot about it is -- oh wait, Metro isn't well managed.

Wanna search my bag? Be my guest -- and be prepared for my nasty gym kit. Tools for terror: not so much.

Metro really needs to address the very real risks -- both likely to occur, and to have a very great impact -- to its riders and workers' physical security.

+6 Vote up Vote down

chuck · 741 weeks ago

Re: recent L'Enfant violence -

The sad fact of the matter is that, for most of us who've lived in major metropolitan areas for any period of time, you're simply conditioned to avoid and ignore the vast majority of public disturbances you come across. This is why it's so unfortunate that when someone is actually in need you're never sure if what you're witnessing is legitimate or not and, in most cases, simply choose to pass by without extending a hand. After being approached and harassed day in and day out you simply tune out.

I don't know what the solution is to this larger issue, but somehow our culture, cities, and law enforcement must have a zero tolerance policy for this sort of unprovoked behavior. Otherwise, we're all somewhat complicit in encouraging these activities since most choose to ignore it and the attackers themselves know there are no consequences.

At the end of the day, it doesn't matter what your background or socioeconomic status is - behavior like this is simply unacceptable.

1 reply · active less than 1 minute ago

+4 Vote up Vote down

wanderer0 56p · 741 weeks ago

With more Diversity comes decreased social trust and decreased social involvement. A direct relationship.

That's the finding of a recent Harvard study. (Published for a pop audience in "Bowling Alone").

+1 Vote up Vote down

anon · 741 weeks ago

Diversity is relative. What is true diversity?

-1 Vote up Vote down

@kara_h · 741 weeks ago

I would have to watch the vids again, but did it sound like it was the same cameraman?

If they are in fact the same it is highly unlikely he happened on both scenes by complete accident. Even if he was not an accomplice (unlikely) he runs with the same group (or at least sees the group in question at that station every night). Which means he can finger the assailant(s).

0 Vote up Vote down

hrh king friday 13 · 741 weeks ago

Get some police dogs down there. Problem solved.

0 Vote up Vote down

Roma · 741 weeks ago

From Commuter Chat with Dr. Gridlock
(http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/01/10/AR2011011006704.html):

[Q]: So, the Metro police have plenty of resources to harass their ridership with meaningless, time-wasting bag searches, but they don't have the resources to protect people who are being violently assaulted in the stations or having their cars broken into in the parking lots?

Seems to me that there are plenty of real crimes happening right now that they could be focusing on instead of imaginary ones they are fighting ineffectively anyway.

Surely having visible police present in the stations and maybe on the trains now and then would help to keep us all a lot safer than searching the bags of law-abiding citizens.

[A]: Planning security strategy based on what government grants are available really bothers me. Why do we now have the police checking riders' bags? Because Metro got homeland security money to pay for that.

Why don't we have enough transit police officers to cover the 86-station rail system and the buses? Because Metro doesn't have the money to hire enough officers.

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