pan6467

Read this article, can't believe this is what we are allowing to happen HERE in the states. Absolutely amazing.

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Woman Arrested, Cuffed for Eating Candy

By CANDACE SMITH, Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON - A government scientist finishing a candy bar on her way into a subway station where eating is prohibited was arrested, handcuffed and detained for three hours by transit police.

Stephanie Willett said she was eating a PayDay bar on an escalator descending into a station July 16 when an officer warned her to finish it before entering the station. Both Willett and police agree that she nodded and put the last bit into her mouth before throwing the wrapper into a trash can.

Willett, a 45-year-old Environmental Protection Agency (news - web sites) scientist, told radio station WTOP that the officer then followed her into the station, one of several in downtown Washington.

"Don't you have some other crimes you have to take care of?" Willett said she told the officer.

Washington has been under heightened security because of the continuing threat of terrorism. And last week, police declared a citywide crime emergency over rising juvenile crime.

The transit police officer asked for Willett's identification, but Willett kept walking. She said she was then frisked and handcuffed.

"If she had stopped eating, it would have been the end of it and if she had just stopped for the issuance of a citation, she never would have been locked up," Transit Police Chief Polly Hanson said Thursday.

Metrorail has been criticized in the past for heavy-handed enforcement of the eating ban. In 2000, a police officer handcuffed a 12-year-old girl for eating a french fry on a subway platform.

In 2002, one of their officers ticketed a wheelchair-bound cerebral palsy patient for cursing when he was unable to find a working elevator to leave a station. Unflattering publicity eventually led the police to void the ticket.

Willett was the second person arrested this year for eating or drinking, Hanson said. In addition, police have issued 58 tickets and given more than 300 written warnings.

LINK: http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=stor...y_bar_arrest_1

Pity the people living in DC these days. What's next? Get caught chewing gum in an elevator you end up strip searched and get 5-10? Real crime out there, real bad people out there and they worry about people eating a candy bar?

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I just love people who use the excuse "I use/do this because I LOVE the feeling/joy/happiness it brings me" and expect you to be ok with that as you watch them destroy their life blindly following. My response is, "I like to put forks in an eletrical socket, just LOVE that feeling, can't ever get enough of it, so will you let me put this copper fork in that electric socket?"

maleficent

On the subways, there are signs posted all over the place that food and drink are prohibited on the trains, but she technically wasn't on the train. Why would there be trashcans all over the place if people didn't have food. What other litter would there be?

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TM875

What's the logic behind this eating ban? I hardly see how a candy bar or cup of Pepsi can be harmful to the subway system, or lead to terrorism. What the hell, are they planning to put anthrax inside Milky Way bars now? Or maybe a nuclear Mountain Dew bomb? This has gotten to the point of being insane...

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Cynthetiq

having lived in singapore and ridden the VERY IMMACULATELY clean trains and stations, I'm all for it. The stations were so clean you could eat off the floors. The trains were so clean that you didn't mind sitting on the seats or touching the poles and handles.

But then, don't sell things that "tempt" people to bring them on the train... such as the little newstands that sell the candy, soda, snacks etc.

Stations here in NYC are totally disgusting from the subway stench right down to the disgusting floors and trains.

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I don't care if you are black, white, purple, green, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, hippie, cop, bum, admin, user, English, Irish, French, Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Buddhist, Muslim, indian, cowboy, tall, short, fat, skinny, emo, punk, mod, rocker, straight, gay, lesbian, jock, nerd, geek, Democrat, Republican, Libertarian, Independent, driver, pedestrian, or bicyclist, either you're an asshole or you're not.

analog

That's disgusting. Shameful.... just shameful...

exizldelfuego

I can certainly understand the appeal of riding on a clean train, but to ban food and drink outright is a little much. I had no idea they did that. I guess I'd prefer seeing the city pay some of their homeless population to walk about the stations with mop and broom than pay police officers, who have much more important things to do, to lurk about and pounce on some unsuspecting candybar muncher.

Sp0rAdiC

So... as she was entering the station, she put the last piece in her mouth, and because it was still being chewed while she was in the train station she was arrested? What about gum, or coughdrops? That is so rediculous... I'm speechless. Or maybe I'm just understanding it wrong, but I can't think of any other way this could be justified.

maleficent

It's a comment like that -- that I'm sure contributed....

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Cynthetiq

give lip and get lip right back.

Rubyee

Yeah, don't eat and don't get arrested- but a 12 year old girl? That was a little overboard.

Then again, and keep in mind that I don't live in an area with a subway, but what was a 12 year old girl doing in a substation with no parents?

I think the fact that she stuck the last part in her mouth and threw away the wrapper should have sufficed.

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You don't know from fun.

Cynthetiq

I forgot to mention that in Singapore gum was banned in the early 90's and just recently allowed to be sold again, only after getting it from a pharmacist and giving your name and address each time you purchase it.

Singapore is a clean and safe city.

rollo

"In 2000, a police officer handcuffed a 12-year-old girl for eating a french fry on a subway platform.
In 2002, one of their officers ticketed a wheelchair-bound cerebral palsy patient for cursing when he was unable to find a working elevator to leave a station. Unflattering publicity eventually led the police to void the ticket."

This is absolutely absurd. I understand the need for cleanliness and adherence to littering laws, but this is taking it way too far. Why was the woman even handcuffed and detained for three hours? Couldn't they just have given her a fine or something?

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-sanity is not statistical-

Esoteric

Pretty fucking stupid if you ask me.

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Made a date with Divinity, but she wouldn't let me fuck
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Trisk

It sounds like that police officer was on a power trip and when the girl asked him if he had something better to do, he decided to enforce the laws.
Some people really need to figure out some other way to find some type of satisfaction in their lives.

Anyway, I have mixed feelings about this. I think it's absurd that they are arresting and detaining people for eating in the train station...but then again, I grew up in NYC and I've seen dirty subway systems at their worst....so perhaps it's for the better.
Still, the only way something like this is justified is if someone is standing there eating a sandwhich or something...and they just continue when the officer tells them to stop. If a 12 year old eats one french fry or a woman chews the last bite of her candy bar, they really should not be bothered any further. It's rediculous.

I'm not entirely suprised by the story about the officer though. I've heard lots of horror stories about police officers and their power trips.
IN one of these, my mom was riding a bike on the boardwalk by a beach in New Jersey. There were only certain times when this was allowed...and apparently, she had overstepped the limit by a few minutes. So this officer in a car stops and tells her that the time limit is up. She nods and decides to ride the bike off the boardwalk near the exit (which was very close). So she's riding off the boardwalk and suddenly the officer gets out of his car, comes up to her, and pulls her off the bike. Then he proceeds to basically drag her to the car and gropes her. So (yes, this was a stupid move) she kicks him in the groin. He shoves her into the car and drives her to the police station where him and his friends proceed to beat her up and hold her overnight. When she got out, she tried to file a case against them but she didn't have enough money for a lawyar so she decided to get one of those free lawyars. Apparently, though, the free lawyar was friends with the cops (I guess that happens in small towns). He hardly did a thing to protect or defend her when three cops accused *her* of beating all three of *them* up. Now, keep in mind that my mom is 5'1'' and a skinny little thing. I don't know how they ever fell for that one. SO my mom was put on probation for the next year and had to drive out to New Jersey (she lived in NYC) every once in a while to have her urine tested.

water_boy1999

I look at this two ways. Yes, it was a little overboard. She could have received the sitation and have been done with it. There are rules in place for a reason. If you don't like it, then don't fucking do it.

Also, she did give a smartass response to an officer doing his job. When will people realize that these rules are put into place for a reason. You think it is asinine that a bomb would be put into a Milky Way and left in a subway train? What about the heel of someone's shoe? Hmmm...

Now the 12 year old girl.....what was she doing with 1 fry? Doesn't it come with other french fry friends? Perhaps Giant Hamburger would have a better explanation of this.

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DelayedReaction

I use the DC Metro occaisionally (College Park Stop!), and the trains really are pretty clean. Now I know why.

How long until the police start speaking german?

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If ignorance is bliss, you must be having an orgasm.

maleficent

Ok. so we don't live in a police state... least I don't think we do...

At least one question I have, do the transit cops have the same authority as regular cops do. I am probably wrong, but i don't beleive transit cops carry guns.

If a police officer asked you for identification, would you stop and show him?
Yes, the officer went a little overboard, but for a woman who's pretty intelligent, she seems to have made a lot of stupid mistakes.

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sixate

Why is it that just because a law may seem stupid that people think they should just be able to ignore that it is a law?

The dumbass got what she deserved.

Supple Cow

But she nodded and put the rest of the bar in her mouth before she got to the bottom of the escalator!

It's a good rule not to have people eating in the stations near the trains because most food you can eat on the go comes in a wrapper and that leads to litter on the tracks. Litter on the tracks can catch fire and cause delays, yada yada yada... (NYC has launched a big ad campaign about this.) What gets me is that she even threw the wrapper away in a trash can like she was supposed to - what harm could it possibly have done in there?

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gondath

It sounds like a power trip. I don't even see why he asked for her identification. I hate when cops go on random fishing expeditions just for the chance of nailing someone with a warrant out. Even worse is when they do it just to be assholes and waste a person's time. Cops need to figure out who it is they are working for and not working against.

pan6467

I just don't understand how anyone can support the cop's actions on this. People sass back to cops alot it happens. And if the officer had cited her then it's cool, but frisking her and handcuffing her and taking her to jail? A bit overboard sounds, like Barney Fife. AND since when in the USA have innocent people HAD to stop and show ID? (Oh yeah I forgot the Sup. Crt. just ruled police can do that...... zeig heil.)

And what about the 2 other incidents (the 12 yr old girl and the cerebral palsy patient)? Were they deserved?

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I just love people who use the excuse "I use/do this because I LOVE the feeling/joy/happiness it brings me" and expect you to be ok with that as you watch them destroy their life blindly following. My response is, "I like to put forks in an eletrical socket, just LOVE that feeling, can't ever get enough of it, so will you let me put this copper fork in that electric socket?"

Church

I don't agree with the ban, but I'm assuming its for the same reason most schools don't allow peanut products.

Allergy scares.

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Through counter-intelligence, it should be possible to pinpoint potential trouble makers, and neutralize them.

GakFace

I'm with Supple Cow on this.. she agreed to finish it before she entered.. I mean come'on.. she's on a friggin' escalator.. in a matter moments she would be inside regardless. But she agreed and finished the damn thing before entering.. and yes she threw the wrapper away. So when she entered the station, no food was visible nor was there any trash... I don't see how she could be cited for anything.

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RoboBlaster:
Welcome to the club! Not that I'm in the club. And there really isn'a a club in the first place. But if there was a club and if I was in it, I would definitely welcome you to it.

Nisses

She made alot of stupid decisions there.

People sass back to cops all the time, somebody said... Well they shouldn't. They should be mature enough to realise that half the time, if they didn't all give those cops lip, maybe the cops would treat the people a little more friendly too.
And besides, it's their job to make sure the rules are followed. The rules which we all are supposed to live by. They aren't supposed to be your best pal. They are supposed to represent authority. If they ask you to stop, you stop.

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Moderation should be moderately moderated.

gondath

Cops should not be enforcing the law based on how you treat them. That's bias.

Nisses

yes, because they are all robots designed especially for that?

A little goodwill from both sides can go a long way. You are not supposed to treat them as your life-long friend. You are supposed to treat them with respect, that is all.

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Moderation should be moderately moderated.

clockworkgreen

I'm fine with it, and if you ride the DC Metro with any kind of regularity, you're for the food/drink ban as well. Last thing we need is wrappers, cups and all that other trash around.

Not to mention, because of Metro's budget problems, they've scaled back service workers at stations and trash bins, so there's nobody to pick up the existing trash of these idiots that decide they can drink and eat on the subway WHEN THERE ARE FUCKING SIGNS SAYING DON'T DO IT.

Every day there are annoucements and it's been engraved in my brain cause I hear it every day, "Customers of Metro are reminded it is unlawful to smoke, eat, drink or play audio or video devices without the use of headphones." Mostly it's the idiot tourists who stand on the left side of escalators while eating a Slim Jim who break this rule all night and day, frankly, I'm glad they took someone to task on it.

la petite moi

What the hell? Uhm, what ever happened to freedom of action, as long as it harms no one!?

Bentley Little

We are heading towards a police state and every day more of our freedoms are taken away in the name of terrorism. What is really going on is that those who are in power, the billionaires, the politicians don't think the population can handle ourselves and that we are all stupid and incapable of thinking for ourselves. They are the ones who know what is best for us, but here they come up with the excuse that terrorism or cleanliness is the reason. Right. If we don't start fighting for our rights, slowly, we will end up becoming helpless. But what happens is that we see something small like "no eating in a subway" and think, well, no big deal, but that is how they work. If they said all Burger Kings and McDonalds can no longer sell hamburgers, well that would be too much. It has to be a little at a time so that we don't really care or fight or bitch. Watch out people...

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That is my 2 cents.

DelayedReaction

What utopia are you from? The government has been in the action of limiting freedom for centuries.

I think this is more or less an example of a good law enforced badly. I really can't find a justification for the cops actions; once the woman had consumed the candy bar and threw away the wrapper his attention should have gone elsewhere. That he decided to pursue this woman after she had complied with regulations is unacceptable.

Should she have been disrespectful to the officer? No. No matter how abusive they are, you don't disprespect an officer of the law. Not because they're people too, but because they are in a position of power and authority and you must respect that. The alternative, as in her position, is that the power will be used against you.

Cops are humans. Some of them are assholes, but most of them are decent people who just want to make things safer for us. The problem is that the ones most inclined to abuse power are the ones that must not be antagonized. It's not easy, but the alternative is far less appealing and far more expensive.

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If ignorance is bliss, you must be having an orgasm.

Bentley Little

This is not a good law. We already have laws that do not allow people to litter. Maybe we should enforce that one first. Stopping you and me from eating is a far cry from a good law. It is a sickening encroachment on our personal freedoms. Eating DOES NOT HARM anyone. Littering does. Therefore, how can you say that making eating illegal is GOOD! Enforce the laws we already have. Having laws do not stop bad people from breaking them. And having more laws just allows people in positions of authority to abuse their power like this asshole did because she said something disrespectful.

No, I think being disrespectful is just that, JUST being disrespectful. She said something disdainfully to a fucking cop. Does that mean the cop (or anyone) has a right to arrest her. She followed the law. This is clearly an abuse of his power. People who are in the position of power should be held to an even higher standard of conduct than you or I and this officer clearly fell way below that line. Always question those in power because this asshole clearly should not be in this position if he can clearly use his power to screw with others.

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That is my 2 cents.

Bentley Little

LPM, you are right, that is the way it should be. Pretty soon, we will no longer be able to smoke cigarettes, eat Whoppers, or go skydiving because they are all potentially harmful; lung cancer, obesity and well, splat. But why should some fucknut in the govt. tell me what I can smoke eat or do for enjoyment when it concerns me and ONLY me!!!!!!!!!!!!

God I am riled.

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That is my 2 cents.

Cynthetiq

sure, if it concerns you 100% only. but it doesn't as I'll have to pay more taxes because you'll demand more governement and medical services. Now if people didn't do that and were 100% responsible for the consequences of their actions... well then, I'm all for it in the way you mention...

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I don't care if you are black, white, purple, green, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, hippie, cop, bum, admin, user, English, Irish, French, Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Buddhist, Muslim, indian, cowboy, tall, short, fat, skinny, emo, punk, mod, rocker, straight, gay, lesbian, jock, nerd, geek, Democrat, Republican, Libertarian, Independent, driver, pedestrian, or bicyclist, either you're an asshole or you're not.

Bentley Little

Well cynthetiq, me personally will not demand more services or programs from the govt. I am from the belief that if i.e.: I eat like a pig, get fat and then get diabetes, or smoke and then get lung cancer, it is my fault and I, and ONLY I should pay for it. It is time people across the country take responsibilty for the actions and stop blaming others and asking for handouts from the govt.

So I say that those who go ahead and get lung cancer and then sue the tobacco company DO NOT represent me, but unfortunately this is a big group think and many many people are a part of this erroneous line of thinking, that what we do to ourselves is somehow the fault of others.

I want less programs, services, taxes and stronghold from our govt. and more personal responsibilty for our actions. Stop collecting my money to pay for services like medicare because some jerk off spent his or her money frivolously and can't afford to buyt aspirin. If he spent his money on wide-screen tvs and herion, never saved, how does that mean that I should pay for his shit-ass.

I am not harping on you C, just venting.

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That is my 2 cents.

Bentley Little

One more thing, that is why I love this forum. Vent-age.

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That is my 2 cents.

Nazggul

I think the initial crack down is probably a good thing in the long run. Obviously it has been a problem in the City and they are taking steps to clean it up. A few high profile cases like this one will start the masses to think about what they are doing, and maybe actually listen when a public servant tells them to do something. Given her field (Environmental Protection Agency Scientist) I would bet this woman would be the first to complain about the cleanliness of the stations before they started cracking down.

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"If something has to give then it always will."

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Nazggul

Because she disobeyed a peace officer, she was rude with a holier than though attitude while doing it, and she was breaking the law.

This was Washington right? It is our country's capital city. Given the international traffic through there I think it’s important for it to be clean and represent us well. Serves her right.

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"If something has to give then it always will."

-- Editors

Bentley Little

Honestly, I think it was the police officere who had the holier than thou attitude. He arrested her because he had the power to do so, not because she broke the law. She finished her candy bar and threw away the wrapper in a trash can. No law broken!

Think about it, she made a wisecrack remark, but does that give the officer the right to arrest her, when she did follow the law and the officer's orders.

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That is my 2 cents.

Nazggul

Yah, its borderline and subject to his interpretation at the moment. Since she was giving him attitude, he gave her no slack and allowed himself the widest interpretation as possible. To be expected I think.

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"If something has to give then it always will."

-- Editors

maleficent

Top Cop Defends Arrest of Woman
Washington (AP) - Metro's top cop is defending the arrest of a Bowie woman for eating a candy bar on her way down a Metro Center escalator.

Stephanie Willett says the officer unfairly handcuffed, searched and held her for three hours. Police Chief Polly Hanson says Willett ignored the officer's warning, and walked away when she was asked to stop. She says Willett probably would have gotten a ticket if she hadn't been "belligerent"

Hanson says this was the second lock up this year for violating Metro's strict no eating or drinking policy in stations. Police have issued 58 tickets and given over 300 written warnings for the violation. Hanson says they created a special task force about a year and a half ago to crack down on fare evaders, litter bugs and people eating and drinking in stations after getting a lot of complaints.

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