MBTA Starts Random Bag Searches at Harvard Square

Are random bag searches on the T back? The Crimson reports that the MBTA has embarked upon its first random bag searches at the Harvard Square T stop last Thursday.

Security didn't rummage through any bags, but "the handles and zippers are swabbed with a special test strip which is then fed through an explosives detection machine."

Lt. Salvatore Venturelli also told the Crimson that the T is using a "random mathematical permutation" to make sure there's no profiling. Pardon Bostonist for being skeptical, but "random mathematical permutation" sounds more appropriate coming from MIT, not the MBTA. Does that just mean that the T police use "eenie-meanie-meinie-mo" or a version of "Pin the Tail on the Donkey" to choose who gets screened and who doesn't?

Bostonist hadn't seen any random bag searches recently. Have you seen any? The searches have put the ACLU on high alert in the past.

It might have something to do with the arrival of a new MBTA police chief, Paul MacMillan. MacMillan took the place of Joseph Carter, who is now the head of the Massachusetts National Guard.

Charlie wants to know what's in your Trader Joe's bag and if you have any banana chips you'd be willing to share.