About 600 transit police, bolstered by law-enforcement officers and bomb-sniffing dogs from around the country, will be saturating Metro stations on Inauguration Day to control crowds and keep the transit system safe.
They also could begin a controversial program to randomly search riders’ bags.
“That is not the plan,” Metro Transit Police Chief Michael Taborn told reporters Thursday. “Only if there are specific threats that warrant that.”
Metro announced in October it planned a new policy to randomly search riders’ bags. It said it would announce the first one publicly, then begin others without notice as needed. The police have not begun any systematic searches.
“We haven’t had any special threats that would cause us to take that action,” Taborn said. But he added that a national event such as the presidential inauguration could warrant searches, even without the pledged advance notice. “It’s possible it goes out the window,” he said.
Metro otherwise does not plan to screen each rider, as it hopes to keep crowds moving. Yet those attending the ceremonies should expect metal detector searches if they try to enter the Secret Service’s security perimeters.
Still, Metro riders cannot bring bicycles or coolers aboard Metro trains on Tuesday. Police urge them not to carry extra belongings as police will need to inspect any lost or abandoned items.
“All the Metro riders have a vested interest in making sure the system is safe,” Taborn said.
On Thursday morning officers scanned the tracks of the Foggy Bottom station as an example of what riders can expect on Tuesday. Reno 911, a 1-1/2-year-old malamute who is trained to sniff out explosives, darted in and out of crowded train cars under the guidance of Sgt. Doug. Haymans.
Some 20 dogs like Reno will be working that day. And at least one officer will be at each of the 86 stations in the system.
Riders should take note that some officers will be wearing different uniforms. In addition to the some 450 Metro transit officers, the system is relying on about 30 recruits in training, retirees, plus about 150 officers borrowed from transit agencies as far away as Sacramento, Calif., Seattle and Utah.
Metro borrowed officers for the 2005 inauguration, according to Metro officials, and loaned some of its officers to Atlanta for the 1996 Olympics. The agency will give outside officers backup radios and pair them with local officers. Metro will pay for the expense, but Taborn said the agency will seek reimbursement from federal officials.
