NYC Transit Riders Get Searched

Random Checks On Buses, Ferries, Trains, But Especially Subways

(CBS/AP)  "We just live in a world where, sadly, these kinds of security measures are necessary," Mayor Michael Bloomberg said. "Are they intrusive? Yes, a little bit. But we are trying to find that right balance."

New York's subways carry about 4.5 million passengers on the average weekday, according to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. The system, the largest in the country, has more than 468 stations, most of which have multiple entrances, and during rush hours the flood of humanity in and out of key stations can be overwhelming.

William K. Williams, a 56-year-old Manhattan resident who rides the train every day, said the searches would frustrate New Yorkers.

"Sometimes you need to get to an appointment, you're running late and a cop stops you to delay you even further? That's going to create a mess," said Williams, who was carrying a briefcase outside the Brooklyn Bridge subway station.

"We don't want to slow the flow of traffic. We're going to adjust the numbers of people that we stop based on the traffic flow," said Kelley.

He also said officers would not use racial profiling in choosing which riders to stop.

"We're using a numerical criteria, one in five or one in ten, and obviously it has to be someone with a backpack or heavy container, something along those lines," he told Storm. "Racial profiling is against our policies."