Lack of Authority

The other day I was coming out of the Metro and found myself laughing out loud because of a metro “security officer.”  I didn’t mean to be mean, but the image this man/boy struck was truly ridiculous.

I don’t know the age limit for security officers, but I suspect this young guy had to lie to get the job.  He didn’t look a day over 14 years old.  To make matters worse, he couldn’t have been more than 90 pounds soaking wet.  The badge pinned to his shirt looked so large compared to his puny chest that you could be forgiven for thinking it was a novelty item.  Not only that, but the badge actually looked like it’s weight could have toppled this diminutive officer to the ground at any moment.  To make things even worse, his duty belt had nothing to hold on to and looked as though it would drag his pants to his ankles the moment he let go of it.

Needless to say, it did not appear that this young man was going to be able to offer anyone – not even himself – an iota of security.  Though the sight of him was good for a laugh, it was no surprise that the malfunctioning Metro system would hire such a figure to attempt to provide security.  Truly, the DC Metro is the poorest run operation I have ever come across and it employs the largest group of incompetent people I never wanted to know.