Profiling accusations should go both ways

Saturday Soapbox on Oct. 25 stated: "Chicago police officers will soon begin checking random passengers' bags for explosives as they enter train stations. The process takes about 30 seconds. Raising the delicate issue of profiling, it might be good for someone to keep track of what the Chicago police mean by 'random.'"

The Daily Herald editors seemed to be leery of the "random" process of checking for explosives on the CTA by Chicago police officers. I understand their concerns, but officers sometimes use intuition or a "hunch" in order to prevent crimes. This same "hunch" is used to prevent the sale of heroin.

Would the Soapbox team be as leery of Chicago police stopping a car full of suburban white teens driving daddy's BMW on Chicago's West Side to purchase heroin? That would be "profiling"! Should the Chicago officers be fearful of the Soapbox team accusing them of "profiling"? If it weren't for their experience and "profiling," the suburban officers may not have to inject Naloxone on the overdosing suburban drug addict who succeeded in purchasing that heroin!

Sean Herling

Mount Prospect