Alert and At Attention

Charles Oliver | February 12, 2004

When someone placed a black plastic bag near the Washington Monument and left it, no one paid much attention. They should have. It was a test by the Interior Department to see how Park Police would handle a suspicious package. The bag was first placed at the rear of the monument for 20 minutes, then at a security checkpoint for 15 minutes. No one noticed it. In fact, the only police officer around appeared to be asleep.