Washington Metro begins bag inspections

The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority’s (WMATA) Metro Transit Police Department (MTPD) will begin a bag inspection program, inspecting passengers’ bags prior to entering the Metro system in an ongoing effort to protect riders, employees and facilities. Officers will be searching bags for explosive devices.

The Metro Transit Police anticipate conducting random bag searches under the Security Inspection Program when circumstances warrant heightened vigilance. Police will take steps to ensure that there will be no discernible pattern to these inspections.

Prior to launching the Security Inspection Program, Metro Transit Police met with officials at the Transportation Security Administration and transit agencies in New York, Boston and New Jersey where police regularly conduct inspections of passengers’ belongings. Legal authority to inspect packages brought into the Metro system has been established by the court system on similar types of inspections in mass transit properties, airports, military facilities and courthouses.

Additional information about the Security Inspection Program can be found in the "Frequently Asked Questions" section of Metro's Website.