John —

Expanding police power will not make us safer. That’s true of metropolitan police departments and as well as the police forces that control other spaces and services we collectively depend on.

One of those police forces is Metro Transit Police, which controls all Metro stations, buses, trains, parking lots, and property in the WMATA system. Metro Transit Police has a long history of misconduct and lack of transparency — and the WMATA Board is currently considering giving them even more power.

Take Action

This week the WMATA Board is considering a new rule that would allow Metro Transit Police to suspend or ban people from transit after being arrested — not convicted, just arrested — for certain criminalized actions.

Blanket expansions of power of policing agencies lead to abuses. Expanding Metro Transit Police’s authority in this way would almost certainly perpetuate harmful stop-and-frisk practices and excessive use of force.

There are also significant due process concerns with taking away access to a critical service like public transit — especially when someone has only been accused of a crime, not convicted. It’s an infringement on our rights.

Expanding police power will not make us safer, it will not make Metro safer, and it will not deter behavior. It will simply expand police control and increase harm. We are in solidarity with other members of the Defund MPD coalition in asking everyone to send a letter to the WMATA Board of Directors ASAP to demand they vote NO on this proposal.

- Sunrise DC,

Member of the Defund MPD coalition

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