NYCLU Files Suit Against Subway Bag Searches
Thursday, August 04, 2005
New York, NY –
The New York Civil Liberties Union filed suit today to try and stop the city's new random bag search policy, which took effect July 21st in the aftermath of the second round of London bombings.
REPORTER: The NYCLU is challenging the search policy, saying its both unconstitutional and ineffective.
The suit claims that mass transit riders are being selected in a descritionary manner, one that could lead to racial profiling
Chris Dunn is the associate legal director for the NYCLU.
DUNN: They should be aggresively working to protect the subways, they should have a lot of police officers in the subways. They can of course be stopping and questioning and searching people they suspect of wrongdoing. But the system they have now doesn't make any sense.
REPORTER: The New York police department says officers are sticking to a nondescritionary system, where every 5th, 12th or 20th person carrying a bag is checked.
Five New York City Council members asked the police department to begin collecting information about the race and ethnicity of the riders they stop. Police officials declined that request.
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