 Local human rights activists claimed a change in color for uniforms worn by Metropolitan Transit System security guards is being used as an intimidation tactic.
10News obtained amateur video that showed a large group of trolley inspectors at the Euclid trolley stop. The MTS said they check fares twice a month, and the large number of inspectors is common. However, some believe the green uniforms worn by the inspectors are a message.
"MTS is not here to enforce immigration law; it's not here to intimidate people. It's here to simply check for fares," said human rights activist Christian Ramirez.
Ramirez gave the video to 10News, and he said the uniforms are too similar to the uniforms worn by U.S. Border Patrol agents and appear to be a method of intimidation.
"This sort of tactic by MTS is at best insensitive to the Latino community and the immigration community of San Diego," said Ramirez.
Ramirez told 10News this is not the first time they've had a problem with MTS, and said, "MTS has been involved in multiple instances where its officers have been involved in multiple instances coordinating with the Border Patrol in the past."
The video was shot Wednesday, a day after a judge dismissed a case against three teenagers arrested by Border Patrol agents on a trolley and then deported to Mexico. The teens were arrested on their way to school when they were caught up in an immigration sweep last May at the Old Town trolley station.
"The fact that MTS is insensitive and does not think twice dressing its officers in green really goes to show that MTS really has a lot to learn on how to treat its ridership in San Diego County," said Ramirez.
MTS officials, who did not want to be interviewed on camera, told 10News the green uniforms are not normally used for fare inspections but said these security members showed up to help the other inspectors. The green uniforms were used for "other purposes," but they did not tell 10News what those purposes are.
MTS said they are not trying to intimidate trolley riders, but Ramirez said he is not buying it.
"We don't believe that it is OK to create this confusion in communities," said Ramirez.
Source: News 10.com, San Diego, CA, February 26, 2010
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