Suspicious Package Calls Swamp Police
posted 12:41 pm Mon July 16, 2007 - WASHINGTON
Almost all of them are false alarms.
D.C. police received more than 1,000 suspicious package calls last year. That's an average of nearly three a day.
In New York, police got more than 37,000 reports last year, up from just 800 in 2002. And in Boston, police say the number of calls has about tripled since the attacks.
Authorities say measuring the cost of false alarms is difficult. Boston officials charged Turner Broadcasting $2 million after a January scare. In that case 19 blinking devices on bridges and other spots turned out to be a promotional campaign.
Critics say police overreact to suspicious packages to guard against criticism. But others say extra vigilance will pay off when it prevents an attack.
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