Dave Newt wrote:
Paul Corfield wrote:
... that finds the deployment of *20* Met Police / Community Support
Officers and a drug sniffer dog at Walthamstow Central Tube Station to
"check" passengers something of a waste of resource?

I've been tempted to write the same thing on here several times.

If they hung around after rush hour so they might actually be there at
the same time as ticket touts and drug dealers, I wouldn't mind, but
then I suppose catching a commuter with half a joint in their pocket is
a lot less hassle for them.

No ticket checks being done just everyone being shoved past the dog's
nose and generally standing around blocking the area behind the ticket
gates.

And the ticket checks are right before the barriers anyway, so unless
they're after catching people with fewer zones than they should have on
their ticket, I'm not sure what the point is (especially since the
operation seems to be aimed at drugs and knives more than fare evasion).

I've no problem with a small police presence to support a proper revenue

Agreed.


Do the police actually turn out to support routine ticket checks, or do
they request ticket checks to be carried out at stations where they
want to slow down the crowd so that they can sniff them (or spot
someone they are after)?



control check but we get these police overload checks far more
frequently than a ticket check. Do criminals now solely travel by tube
train?


If I were selling copious amounts of drugs, I think I'd get myself a
car, or at least avoid the rush hour tube!

I'm just not quite sure WHO they're after. I'd be a lot less sceptical
if I ever saw them do it at 9pm on a Friday.