Merli Column: Security perceptions in the real world

When it comes to such diverse topics as advertising or the stock market, "perception" often seems to be a higher priority than "reality" -- except when reality has been known to grab perception around the collar and throttle it back to Earth.

Perception has always been a key component of security, too -- whether it be that uniformed private security guard in the bank or theater lobby, or ominous-looking machine gun-toting military guards routinely patrolling some of the biggest airports in Europe (which began, by the way, well before Sept. 11, 2001).

Here in Prince William, with its share of military and other security-minded personnel -- thanks to Quantico, an expanding Ft. Belvoir, the Pentagon, and other key installations -- we're no doubt a bit more aware of our immediate surroundings than most other regions. Our close proximity to the powers that be in Washington, with two major interstate highways dissecting our county (including the most important roadway on the eastern seaboard, Interstate 95), and being situated near three international airports makes effective national security precautions even more than urgent.

But like some of those high-mounted store security cameras that are, in reality, merely props (often broken and never fixed), are we relying too much on perception to do the dirty work for us, over cold, hard security measures that would make the difference between being safe or just thinking we are?

This illusionary notion of perception-over-reality struck me this week when I saw news reports of the Metro Transit Police in Washington holding an anti-terrorism drill at one of the subway system's busiest depots, Union Station on Capitol Hill. And it was held Tuesday during morning rush hour, no less -- complete with heavily armed officers, bomb-sniffing dogs, and of course, a Metro PR guy off to the side talking to the media.

Metro, for its part, said the highly visible show-of-force was meant "to remind" subway commuters riders that Metro "remains vigilant against terrorism." It was quick to add, however, that there is no current or implied threat against the Metro right now. In other words, we just want everybody to know we're ready, just in case. (The fact they picked one of the two Metro stations used most by congressional staffers and a lot of government officials was probably not the least bit calculated for maximum attention. Nah, just a coincidence.)

Reactions to this unannounced drill from passengers was, as we might imagine, mixed -- ranging from mild alarm to cautious amusement. Some onlookers wondered out loud if there was "something else going on" that neither Metro nor the federal government was mentioning. (As of this writing, there apparently wasn't, but such speculations are par for the course, no doubt, when such a drill is performed.) And so, if the exercise on Tuesday was designed to enhance the perception that Metro is conscious about security, it probably worked. For a while, anyway.

Once all those armed guards and bomb-sniffing dogs left Union Station and perception again gave way to reality, nothing at this station or any other in the entire spidery system (including the Franconia-Springfield station) prevents anyone from carrying virtually anything (small bombs, guns, knives, explosives, liquids, etc.) through the turnstiles and onto any Metro train at any time of day or night. That's reality. Another reality is lot of riders on the Blue Line from Springfield northward are heading for Reagan National or Union Station with luggage in tow. And what do you think can be illicitly hidden in a typical suitcase these days?

Enhancing the perception that we're all relatively safe in public surroundings in Prince William and our greater region has it points. But like that practice drill this week -- when those occasional exercises abruptly end, they inadvertently underscore the stark contrast created by returning to the lingering absence of any meaningful Metro security at all in the real world. And it is in the real world where most of us prefer to live.

John Merli has been a News & Messenger columnist since 1985. He has served in a variety of communications positions for more than 40 years. He can be contacted at: j.merli@comcast.net.