Tuesday, December 4, 2012

MTPD on the Job


 Contains some NSFW language

UPDATE:
Metro says they arrested two people and the incident is still under investigation, according to this report on Fox. Seems as though quite a few perps got away.

According to the description on YouTube:
Friday night (11:15pm) fighting breaks out on Green Line at Fort Totten stop after a black girl grabs a cell phone from a white college student. The victim ends up being punched and beaten on the platform when she runs after the thief; a couple of the thief's friends pushed her down and beat her until she started bleeding around the mouth. The victims's friends (a mixed crowd of 8-10 Univ. of MD students) retaliate by not letting the train doors close as they try to get the cell phone back. Police (Metro & DC) finally arrive but fail to let the victim identify anyone and instead let the train close it doors and proceed on. this was actually the last train of the night running from Greenbelt to DC... Even though Metro police said they would stop the train at the next stop, it's unlikely the matter was investigated because they didn't bother to talk to any of the victims. WOW!!! What a night and a horrible first time visit for some young college students.
At the end the MTPD officer urges the cameraman to turn off the camera and says there are police waiting at the next station.

That may be true, but the witnesses are all at this station.

Comments (61)

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Metro Ryder's avatar

Metro Ryder · 640 weeks ago

What are the police going to do at the next stop? Make everyone get off the train and question them?
1 reply · active 640 weeks ago
She voted for Obama and that's the thanks she gets?
Metro regularly shuts down trains due to "police activity"

These guys screwed up.
1 reply · active 639 weeks ago
dweebcentric's avatar

dweebcentric · 639 weeks ago

So what else is new?
Let's just face the facts. You're alone down there in the Metro. MTPD is worthless.

Letting that train move on was about the stupidest thing they could have done.
6 replies · active 639 weeks ago
Not all of MTPD is worthless. I personally know a couple of wonderful, outstanding folks on the job that bring their A game every day.

However...

As evidenced in this video, not all of MTPD has their sh!t together, either. This was just... stupid. And the fact that they scolded the victims in this case for not giving up their property easily (Fox News video)... Cripes. Yeah, why don't we all just act like sitting ducks! Great idea!

Mark my words: one of these days, we're going to see a gun pulled in one of these videos. Bag checks and all.
Its already legal to bring a gun on the metro in VA
The government also told the crew to comply with the terrorists on 9-11. Now that we know what happens when passengers just comply, that was obviously not the best policy. The government (and police) are not always right. Sometimes they are not even close. Like this case, where they are AIDING the perpetrators. Obscene.
Disenchanted's avatar

Disenchanted · 640 weeks ago

Can we avoid the generalizations? As a transit officer, I risk myself daily to protect WMATA patrons and employees. And I do it well.
Thank you!
dweebcentric's avatar

dweebcentric · 639 weeks ago

Where did the Guardian Angels go? I was glad to see them on the trains for a while recently.

WMATA sucks.
OK, now what I need to do now is get all of you to come with us to the next station where you can ID the perps.

What a joke.
not surprising at all... well surprising that they were actually on the scene, but their ineffectiveness is par for the course..
Worthless bastards.
Dan Stessel's avatar

Dan Stessel · 640 weeks ago

According to our highly accurate customer survey, 80 percent of these Univ. of MD Metrorail riders are satisfied with our service.
what the hell are they doing?
I've heard of this happening more than once, which means it's not an isolated incident. Is this protocol? Why go to the next station when you're already stopped AT the station where the incident is going down? Is it to control the situation so it doesn't escalate?
Something doesn't add up.

"Friday night (11:15pm)"

"...this was actually the last train of the night running from Greenbelt to DC..."

Even if it were a Tuesday night, an 11:15pm train shouldn't be the last from Totten toward Branch Ave.
Additionally, wmata really needs to fix the lighting at all of the stations. How hard is it to change a few light bulbs? (yes, I realize that even the most simple tasks seem insurmountable to the organization)
2 replies · active 640 weeks ago
"Six years ago, Metro’s leadership said crews would replace burned-out bulbs within 10 days instead of three months and would do a total replacement and inspection of station lights every 10 months.

Metro would not say whether that policy is being followed. But agency spokeswoman Caroline Lukas said Metro has a preventive maintenance schedule for light bulb replacement and that staff workers change out single bulbs when outages are reported.

“If a customer reports a burned-out bulb, we make every effort to replace it as soon as possible,” she said, adding that some lights are in difficult locations that can affect the replacement time."

LOL Why is it a customer's responsibility to point out a burned-out bulb?
And this is why I take cabs at night, not that all cab drivers are safe or reliable, but it's certainly a better option.
The culprits are slowly getting away on that train!
Terry Moore's avatar

Terry Moore · 640 weeks ago

MTPD abetted a crime. If they don't respond to this today, all their social media staff need to be fired.
Metro, you are so phouking pathetic.
Shame!

This video makes me physically sick. All the Metro administrators need to be fired and the personel retrained from the beginning. How much is enough? To what extent is safety going to be jeopardized until the system is overhauled? For every incident that is caught on video or is reported, there are numerous occurences that do not come to light.

At the very least, merrit based pay should be implemented for the administrators. I bet Sarles would step up if suddenly he was paid 12,000 annually.
1 reply · active 640 weeks ago
Actually, I bet he'd step down and claim his golden parachute.
Red Line's avatar

Red Line · 640 weeks ago

Considering all of the times I've been forced to wait for Metro's bs and incompetence, I'd be more than happy to wait on a train while MTPD collects a few assault suspects.
I am spreading this all around the internet. I already tweeted it to @WMATA and also sent it to a reporter. THIS HAS GOT TO STOP.
MTPD COPPER's avatar

MTPD COPPER · 640 weeks ago

We let them mix back into the system so we can play police longer.
The conduct of these cops is deplorable. As an attorney, it would seem to me that the police are guilty of being accessories to felony assault because they allowed the suspect(s) to get away after a crime had obviously been committed. They were negligent and in dereliction of duty for failing to respond to this assault in the proper manner.

I'd be surprised if this girl didn't file a civil suit against the transit police.
2 replies · active 640 weeks ago
just curious's avatar

just curious · 640 weeks ago

What about Metro's soverign immunity BS? Civil rights protected?
and yet transit managed to grab most of the kids who killed Griffin:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/crime/police-...

so why couldn't they grab the kids in the Ft Totten assault?
Why you gotta say "a black girl" steals a phone? That's racist!
2 replies · active 640 weeks ago
DeportEmAll's avatar

DeportEmAll · 640 weeks ago

Er, because it's true?
I suspect the original comment is satire
MTPD is busy threatening customers with arrest for fare evasion instead. Happened to me Friday. Apparently the SmarTrip reader didn't read my card (despite the faregates opening) and the officer immediately accused me of fare evasion and threatened me with arrest instead of telling me to pay and go back through or take a hike.
The truth's avatar

The truth · 640 weeks ago

MTPD need have more Officers on Street, get all the Upper Level MTPD on the offices and on the Streets. , Then more waste postion Lt , Capt and Duty Chief for such small Police Dept. It all starts with the Chief MTPD . I heard his leaving soon and retire again from WMATA . Let hope there bring new Chief from outside to clean all waste and mismanged Staffing !!!!!!
2 replies · active 640 weeks ago
bffaeaeaeaeae's avatar

bffaeaeaeaeae · 640 weeks ago

I heard they're in the process of narrowing down candidates.
Qualifications: must be bffs with one of the administrators.

Do you really expect them to hire someone that will make their jobs harder?!
I think we should nuke it from orbit. It's the only way to be sure.
They need to have manned kiosks at certain stations at all times.

Metro needs to use ad space and post picks of CONVICTED folks committing crimes with their system.

When the foreseeable Bernard Goetz situation happens I won't shed a tear...
I'm at work and I can't watch the video. Is it from WorldstarHipHop?
Anony-moose's avatar

Anony-moose · 640 weeks ago

I took a picture once of three MTPD cars hanging around outside a subway near Navy Yard. Now we know what MTPD does with its time. I should forward the pic to unsuck. Heh.
a couple of nights running there were a half dozen (ore more) transit police vehicles parked in front of the verizon entrance to gallery place--wonder what they were doing... maybe bag checks. :
1 reply · active 640 weeks ago
Curious George's avatar

Curious George · 640 weeks ago

Gallery Place/Chinatown is one of the stops where the huud ratz have been causing problems. No guarantee the officers are actually in the station though.
Here's a video of this fight as it was happening: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xYOWDRnwdoo
Why would any obviously 'non hood' person ever take the green line outside of rush hour or Nats game?

Easy targets.
3 replies · active 640 weeks ago
Uh because they go to school in College Park? But sure, blame the victims...
Oh, I didn't realize College Park was on the green line.
I commute from College Park to Union Station. Part of that commute is on the Green line.
Apparently, the train is the Embassy of Thieves.
Make note: If anything like this ever happens:

Someone go in the train and pull the emergency handle for the center doors. This will release the door, keep the brakes on, and prevent the train from moving. There will be no allowing the suspects to escape by train if the train can't physically move.
1 reply · active 640 weeks ago
excellent tip, not that i ride the train anymore, but it sure is nice to know this.
Anyone know where to get Mace? Just off the internet?

Is it legal to have in the metro?
2 replies · active 640 weeks ago
I purchased Mace Saturday at my local hardware store and rode the train with it on Tuesday. They don't check bags/purses so how would they know if you have it?
I am willing to bet most of you would have turned your head the other way if this was happening in front of you and you know it. Our society is filled with cowards like the ones in this train. MAN up.....you clearly out numbered them. Let them have it...the only one who did was the girl that tackled the guy on the platform. As for the video recorder.....her elderly self needs to not be out that late.....oh and there was a lot of exaggeration going on there from those oh soooo poor students, There was not 25 people doing the crimes. Man up and grow a set next time.....especially the
The dude holding the doors open....pull his man card.
1 reply · active 639 weeks ago
Yeah, ok tough guy. You go around pulling man cards. This is Washington DC. You must be new around here.

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