h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

This afternoon, my 11 y.o. daughter was caught up in a "security scare" by the local police and I'm cranky. She walked as she always does to the train station at Summer Hill after school, only to find that a large group of people milling around outside the tunnel with large numbers of police in evidence.

As she walked up to join the crowd to get to the platform, several kids said "You've got to get your bag checked!" and pointed her over to where there were 4 or 5 people standing wearing blue plastic gloves - not in police uniform, with no identification. Without a word of explanation, the bloke motioned her to open her bag, looked inside, without touching anything, and then let her proceed on her way.

According to the news, police had received a warning over the Crimestoppers phone line about 4 male persons of Micronesian descent who may travel the train system and attempt to place a package on it. There was no cause for concern, said the police commissioner, however the police would be would be randomly checking bags and identities at turnstiles throughout the network.

So Summer Hill a middle class inner west suburb was targeted very heavily, while there was one policeman at the next station and at the station where my daughter alights there was none.

There were a large number of primary school children involved, with no word of explanation. No reassurance at all, just grunts as they looked through the half-eaten sandwiches and homework books. Not even a female officer to reassure the younger ones and those with potentially embarrassing items in their bags.

Surely, they can take the time to say G'day to the kids, to show some identification, to reassure them that it's ok, and even advise them of their right to refuse the search if we still have rights like that. It's not that I'm against them having to search the network, be out there showing a presence, but my blonde, blue-eyed daughter in school uniform looks nothing like a "male person of Micronesian descent". And if she says she was apprehensive and concerned, then I bet there were other kids who were just plain scared!!


And now I don't know what to do………

I can understand how you feel - but I think it's more important to reassure "Tiger" ... perhaps play up the fact that the police and railway people did take precautions and play down the terrorism scare side of things.

Might also be a good opportunity to advise her of her rights and how to handle searches and stuff.

Give her a from me

As always the voice of reason, thanks Feisor, we did all that and she was fine, but still....

There were a heap at Petersham and Newtown as well.

I guess Stanmore isn't that important

no we're just nice safe law abiding citizens in Stanmore unlike those villans across the border in Petersham and Summer Hill

Might have had something to do with the fact that that area has a fairly high proportion of Islanders - my niece goes to Dulwich High and said that the Islander representation in her class is strong.

I can't say i've really noticed it at summer hill although they do have a church at petersham