Most public transit riders know about Metro’s “See Something, Say Something” rule. One Massachusetts rider took the campaign a step further by tweeting out the bad behavior he encountered—with effective results.
On Tuesday evening, @I_amTheKnighT snapped a photo of an apparently sleeping officer at his desk with his head tilted back.
“And I’m suppose to feel safer on the #mbta while the #transitpolice sleep on the job,” he tweeted, attaching a photo.
Now, the policeman pictured, a veteran employee of the Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority (MBTA) for 29 years, faces disciplinary action.
Deputy Police Chief Joseph O’Connor told Metro.us that the unnamed officer admitted he had fallen asleep, and will now face discipline anywhere from suspension to termination.
“We are certainly embarrassed by it and I’m sure the officer is embarrassed by it,” O’Connor said. “I don’t believe it’s a full reflection of the good work the officers do day in and day out.”
Meanwhile, @I_amTheKnighT is experiencing unexpected local fame for his tweet. He has been contacted by multiple reporters and was interviewed on local news channel Fox25.
“Woke up this morning and saw my picture on the front page of the @bostonmetro,” he tweeted Thursday.
If anything, the media and MBTA’s swift reactions have shown just how quickly Twitter spreads the news.
“If you have been paying attention to my posts, my tweet last night is spreading like #wildfire, technology is crazy,” he tweeted.
Fittingly, this incident occurred just three days after the MBTA released its “See Say” app for smartphones, allowing riders to quickly photograph and report problems they encounter while riding the Metro.
Photo by @I_amTheKnighT
