There’s definitely something wrong with how metro police and police in general profile people and treat some as less than human.
I just wanted to clarify the specific point about paying for another person not being illegal.
I probably should have added that panhandling and loitering are illegal in some areas. So buying tickets for strangers wouldn’t be illegal anywhere, but hanging around and asking strangers to buy you a ticket can be considered illegal.
Also, cops aren’t required to be honest/informed on the letter of the law. So there’s no guarantee a cop wouldn’t tell someone something false about whether helping a stranger is allowed.
That is true in some cases, as in any field there are always bad actors, police are not above being temperamental. I know that I could never do that job, because I’m quick to anger and not very sympathetic when someone gets in my way.
But to be fair, this poor lady, she didn’t ask anyone to buy her a ticket (that I’m aware), she was just caught using the trax train without one. And that is illegal, i get that, no matter who you are. But she was so stressed out, bawling her eyes out and asking for help. I just wanted to offer help but the police were standoffish and took her away.
If she had approached us before she boarded and asked if we could help buy a ticket, we certainly would have. I’d rather spend a little to help someone that watch them being treated like a sick animal with no value. That was a very sad day for me.
There’s definitely something wrong with how metro police and police in general profile people and treat some as less than human.
I just wanted to clarify the specific point about paying for another person not being illegal.
I probably should have added that panhandling and loitering are illegal in some areas. So buying tickets for strangers wouldn’t be illegal anywhere, but hanging around and asking strangers to buy you a ticket can be considered illegal.
Also, cops aren’t required to be honest/informed on the letter of the law. So there’s no guarantee a cop wouldn’t tell someone something false about whether helping a stranger is allowed.
That is true in some cases, as in any field there are always bad actors, police are not above being temperamental. I know that I could never do that job, because I’m quick to anger and not very sympathetic when someone gets in my way.
But to be fair, this poor lady, she didn’t ask anyone to buy her a ticket (that I’m aware), she was just caught using the trax train without one. And that is illegal, i get that, no matter who you are. But she was so stressed out, bawling her eyes out and asking for help. I just wanted to offer help but the police were standoffish and took her away.
If she had approached us before she boarded and asked if we could help buy a ticket, we certainly would have. I’d rather spend a little to help someone that watch them being treated like a sick animal with no value. That was a very sad day for me.