Government dollars at work

Yes, we are well aware that persons armed with PayDay candy bars are dangerous.

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

Sure, she should have stopped when the officers asked for ID, but come on now. I guess this is part of their reasoning:

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.

Here are a couple more threats of terrorism:

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.