Unsuck DC Metro: Want to Know about Recent Crime? Forget it.

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Want to Know about Recent Crime? Forget it.

Again, Metro fails with information riders could really use. Seems like they're becoming less transparent all the time. They've been saying for months they're going to start publishing the service disruption reports again, but so far, nothing.

From Amanda:

On Nov. 19, I boarded a Red Line train at Silver Spring to meet some friends for dinner. I boarded, like I always do, near the back of the train, prime for switching at Metro Center.

I sat in a seat that was sideways, and I was on my phone when I took my seat.

My eyes wandered around like usual, and I found myself meeting eyes with a man who was masturbating under his shirt.

I promptly got up from my seat and walked to the back of the train.

When the train reached Fort Totten, I got off the train and called Metro Transit Police.

I was pleasantly surprised by how helpful they were in handling the situation because I was really shaken up by the whole thing.

Later, I wanted to see if this man was arrested. I checked the Metro Police blotter to find that it hasn't been updated since June 2011.

I was so angered by this because I experienced something and wanted to make sure someone followed through.

Aren't there rules for keeping those records updated?

How do I find out if this situation was really handled to the fullest extend?

How do I know if I am safe from seeing this man ever again?

While a few weeks has passed since this gross incident, how do I know if I am safe riding Metro and how do I know they actually did anything about it?

Other items:
Cameras don't deter crime in parking lots (Examiner)

Comments (25)

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+6 Vote up Vote down

DC Denizen · 694 weeks ago

Let me help answer your questions.

1) If there are rules, they may or may not be followed. There is probably no way to enforce any such rule that may or may not exist. They probably would not provide them on a PARP request because it would be "too labor intensive" for their staff to accomodate such a request.
2) I'm sure the transit police tried, but it would be really difficult to catch the guy if he wasn't actually in the act. If they didn't call you to identify the guy, they probably didn't catch him or are not pressing charges.
3) You're not. Even if he was caught and convicted, the worst thing they could do would be to ban him from the station where he was caught for one year. He could ride any part of the Metro system at will, except for through that station.
4) You're not, and they probably tried.

1 reply · active 693 weeks ago

-1 Vote up Vote down

RGG · 693 weeks ago

Actually, if he were caught, he could get a year in jail. I'm not saying he would (it's D.C. after all) but if he had prior, similar, offenses, could at least get _some_ jail time.

+11 Vote up Vote down

F'n JD · 694 weeks ago

You're on Metro, you're never safe.

From theft of electronic devices.
From random assaults by gangs of young African American teenagers at L'enfant and Gallery Place.
From sitting in someone's chicken wing and shrimp remnants or maybe some spilled coffee.
From watching the guy across the aisle change his socks and rub his feet.
From sex offenders masturbating or assaulting you.
From poo in the stairwells of the parking garages.
From the drunken sorority girl puking on you late Friday night as she stumbles home from Adams Morgan.
From crashes.

5 replies · active 693 weeks ago

+2 Vote up Vote down

@ConGrpThink · 694 weeks ago

Why do you have to be racist, yo? Just kidding. It's the truth.

+8 Vote up Vote down

Red Line · 694 weeks ago

Did you hear the new holiday-themed crime warning on the PA system? If my phone gets stolen, it's my fault for being dumb enough to go on the Metro with a phone in my possession in the first place.

0 Vote up Vote down

RGG · 693 weeks ago

The "warning" doesn't say it's your fault, it asks you to take precautions. But there's a lot of common sense lacking out there. Sleeping on the train with your iPod on tour lap probably isn't the best idea...especially on certain segments of the Orange/Green Lines.

+6 Vote up Vote down

Anon5 · 694 weeks ago

It's also young African American teenagers at Metro Center too.

+2 Vote up Vote down

Ms. Blasé · 694 weeks ago

Don't forget the piles of spit out sunflower seed shells.

+3 Vote up Vote down

RedLine · 694 weeks ago

If you haven't already, post this story on HollaBackDC.

+3 Vote up Vote down

Guest · 694 weeks ago

Unusuck has run discussions with the name of the undercover officer who cracked a similar case(s), check prior strings. Also, if a Neighborhood Watch program exists in your area, check in with them and ask them for details on their meetings with the local precint on any of the general issues above. Agreed, you most likely won't hear from Metro directly, as they sometimes don't get back to you purposely to protect the person filing the report (would be nice of them to follow up though). Also, yes, Hollaback has published several of these scenarios, great for awareness profile. If you see the offender again, try and snap a picture to forward to MTPD. You did the right thing in reporting it, we all thank you.

+2 Vote up Vote down

Guest again · 694 weeks ago

Here is officer Langs email: Investigator Lang at rlang[at]wmata.com

+2 Vote up Vote down

Guest again · 694 weeks ago

Discussion and suggestions: http://unsuckdcmetro.blogspot.com/2011/07/more-pe...

+18 Vote up Vote down

John · 694 weeks ago

Well, obviously, if it hasn't been updated since June 11, then Metro hasn't had a crime since then!

- Dan Stessel/Dr. Gridlock

+4 Vote up Vote down

Brian · 694 weeks ago

You did the right thing, in the end that's all you can do. The only other thing you can do in this sort of situation, if it's possible, is to walk up and tell the person operating the train what's going on when the train stops. I had to do that when a guy was exposing himself in a similar fashion to a woman with a small child. Thankfully she got off the train at the same stop as me and we were able to tell the driver and station manager what was going on. By the way, I also never heard anything about whether that situation was addressed either.

6 replies · active 693 weeks ago

+2 Vote up Vote down

Anon · 693 weeks ago

Take a picture with your phone and get the location, time and witnesses name/phone then report to the Police in the jurisdiction where the incident occurred. Metro Transit's job is protect the company and failures as managers.

-2 Vote up Vote down

RGG · 693 weeks ago

Newsflash..... The locals aren't going to investigate it. The "rails" are MTPD's primary jurisdiction. They will give you MTPD's number.

+2 Vote up Vote down

Anon2 · 693 weeks ago

You can file a Police Report in any Jurisdiction rgg.

0 Vote up Vote down

RGG · 693 weeks ago

The local police aren't going to take a report for an incident that occurs on Metro. They will refer you to MTPD. If you don't believe me, call one of the local departments and try to report an incident on Metro. I'm simply telling you how it is. Part of the reason is because Metro crosses multiple jurisdiction (one of the main reasons Metro created its own police force has to do with Metro crossing state lines). MTPD has primary jurisdiction on the rails/within stations. The local police have primary jurisdiction in the parking lots--but even then, if your car gets broken into or stolen, the local police will _still_ refer you to MTPD for the report.

+1 Vote up Vote down

2AAnon · 693 weeks ago

take a photo with your phone and get the name/phone number of a witness on that car.
The train oper can call for Transit to board the train while moving if you give the Car # to the Train oper.. The problem there is Transit responds too slow.

+1 Vote up Vote down

RGG · 693 weeks ago

No, the problem is that Metro won't hold the train allowing an officer to respond. It's difficult to catch a moving target.

+2 Vote up Vote down

John · 694 weeks ago

Well, obviously, if it hasn't been updated since June 11, then Metro hasn't had a crime since then!
- Dan Stessel/Dr. Gridlock

-1 Vote up Vote down

@JeniferJS · 693 weeks ago

Don't forget the urine-soaked stinking elevators that those of us with family members who use wheelchairs have to use. It's bad enuf we have to share with non-disabled people too lazy to use the stairs and who can use the stairs,

1 reply · active 693 weeks ago

+4 Vote up Vote down

@VeggieTart · 693 weeks ago

Just because someone doesn't "look" disabled doesn't mean they aren't.

0 Vote up Vote down

@MegE_N · 693 weeks ago

Metro does need to at least be a little more transparent about this - and people on the train need to be held accountable for being vulgar and disgusting. Just last week on a 9 pm train to Metro Center on the Blue Line a man sat in front of me and kept turning to look at me. I hid behind my book (I had a headache so I wasn't reading anyway but I kept my headphones in and made sure he couldn't catch my eye) and just waited for him to go away. He kept shifting and shifting, holding his phone up to give the person behind him (me) a great view of his cell phone - turns out it finally caught my eye and it was a home-made video of him masterbating. What if a child had gotten on the train and seen that? For that matter, why should I have to see that? I have a strong stomach but ... I mean who would ever do a thing like that? And how can we get Metro to pay attention to these types of problems?