s***@gmail.com
2008-02-22 05:33:45 UTC
SEPTA: No plans to start bag searches
By: BRIAN SCHEID (Wed, Feb/20/2008)
SEPTA officials have no plans to start randomly searching passengers'
bags even though Amtrak announced Tuesday it would do so; and
passenger bags on NJ Transit trains and buses have been randomly
searched for years as part of a counter-terrorism effort.
Amtrak officials announced Tuesday that armed guards and
bomb-sniffing dogs will now patrol station platforms and trains and
passengers' carry-on bags will be randomly searched as part of an
effort to beef up security.
Officials with NJ Transit launched a similar baggage search effort in
July 2005 after 52 people were killed in a series of terrorist blasts
on London trains and buses, but SEPTA won't be conducting such
searches, according to SEPTA spokesman Jim Whitaker.
"We don't think it's necessary at this point," Whitaker said Tuesday.
Bucks County Commissioner Charley Martin, a member of SEPTA's board
of directors, said random bag searches might be considered if the
transit agency received information about a terrorist threat, but
said those searches would accomplish little now.
"I think that might be an unnecessary intrusion on the SEPTA system,"
Martin said.
The searches would cause "extensive delays" and would likely be a
costly and ineffective effort for SEPTA's uniformed and undercover
police officers who already patrol SEPTA trains and buses, Whitaker
said.
"It's just too cumbersome for our system," he said.
NJ Transit spokesman Dan Stessel said his agency's random bag
searches have had "no impact on train or bus operations."
Jose Rodriguez, who was waiting at the Levittown train station in
Tullytown for a SEPTA train to Philadelphia, said random bag searches
might be needed.
"It could be a good idea," Rodriguez said. "You never know what
people carry in their bags these days."
About a half-dozen other SEPTA commuters at that station Tuesday
afternoon said they oppose random searches because they'd delay their
commutes. All declined to give their names.
As with Amtrak's new policy, passengers on NJ Transit trains and
buses have the right to refuse to have their bags searched. If they
refuse, they won't be allowed to board and will be given a refund for
their trip, Stessel said.
NJ Transit police have found illegal fireworks during bag searches,
but Stessel said the searches work more as a "deterrent" for
potential terrorists.
"The fact that it's random adds a level of uncertainty to anyone who
would want to do harm to our system," Stessel said. "It's another
tool in our tool box that we're able to use if threat levels change."
SEPTA has 10 police units with bomb-sniffing dogs and is installing
$90 million in security upgrades, including new surveillance cameras,
alarms and emergency lighting, Whitaker said.
In a statement Tuesday, Alex Kummant, Amtrak's president and chief
executive officer, said the random bag searches and new "mobile
security teams [would] strengthen Amtrak's overall security, and they
are vital in our efforts to deter, detect, and prevent a terrorist
incident on the rail system."
Cornwells Heights in Bensalem is the only Amtrak stop in Bucks
County.
Fears of a terrorist attack on a train began after the attacks of
Sept. 11, 2001 and have grown since commuter and subway trains have
been bombed in Madrid, London and Mumbai, India.
Brian Scheid can be reached at 215-949-4165 or
***@phillyBurbs.com.
http://www.phillyburbs.com/pb-dyn/news/111-02202008-1490646.html
***********************************************************
Stans Railpix railphotoexpress.com Store !!
http://www.cafepress.com/stans_railpix
Stan'S Railpix;-A-Rail-Photo-Gallery !!
http://www.trainweb.org/railpix
Will remain a FREE site with 2426+1/2 images posted.
***********************************************************
By: BRIAN SCHEID (Wed, Feb/20/2008)
SEPTA officials have no plans to start randomly searching passengers'
bags even though Amtrak announced Tuesday it would do so; and
passenger bags on NJ Transit trains and buses have been randomly
searched for years as part of a counter-terrorism effort.
Amtrak officials announced Tuesday that armed guards and
bomb-sniffing dogs will now patrol station platforms and trains and
passengers' carry-on bags will be randomly searched as part of an
effort to beef up security.
Officials with NJ Transit launched a similar baggage search effort in
July 2005 after 52 people were killed in a series of terrorist blasts
on London trains and buses, but SEPTA won't be conducting such
searches, according to SEPTA spokesman Jim Whitaker.
"We don't think it's necessary at this point," Whitaker said Tuesday.
Bucks County Commissioner Charley Martin, a member of SEPTA's board
of directors, said random bag searches might be considered if the
transit agency received information about a terrorist threat, but
said those searches would accomplish little now.
"I think that might be an unnecessary intrusion on the SEPTA system,"
Martin said.
The searches would cause "extensive delays" and would likely be a
costly and ineffective effort for SEPTA's uniformed and undercover
police officers who already patrol SEPTA trains and buses, Whitaker
said.
"It's just too cumbersome for our system," he said.
NJ Transit spokesman Dan Stessel said his agency's random bag
searches have had "no impact on train or bus operations."
Jose Rodriguez, who was waiting at the Levittown train station in
Tullytown for a SEPTA train to Philadelphia, said random bag searches
might be needed.
"It could be a good idea," Rodriguez said. "You never know what
people carry in their bags these days."
About a half-dozen other SEPTA commuters at that station Tuesday
afternoon said they oppose random searches because they'd delay their
commutes. All declined to give their names.
As with Amtrak's new policy, passengers on NJ Transit trains and
buses have the right to refuse to have their bags searched. If they
refuse, they won't be allowed to board and will be given a refund for
their trip, Stessel said.
NJ Transit police have found illegal fireworks during bag searches,
but Stessel said the searches work more as a "deterrent" for
potential terrorists.
"The fact that it's random adds a level of uncertainty to anyone who
would want to do harm to our system," Stessel said. "It's another
tool in our tool box that we're able to use if threat levels change."
SEPTA has 10 police units with bomb-sniffing dogs and is installing
$90 million in security upgrades, including new surveillance cameras,
alarms and emergency lighting, Whitaker said.
In a statement Tuesday, Alex Kummant, Amtrak's president and chief
executive officer, said the random bag searches and new "mobile
security teams [would] strengthen Amtrak's overall security, and they
are vital in our efforts to deter, detect, and prevent a terrorist
incident on the rail system."
Cornwells Heights in Bensalem is the only Amtrak stop in Bucks
County.
Fears of a terrorist attack on a train began after the attacks of
Sept. 11, 2001 and have grown since commuter and subway trains have
been bombed in Madrid, London and Mumbai, India.
Brian Scheid can be reached at 215-949-4165 or
***@phillyBurbs.com.
http://www.phillyburbs.com/pb-dyn/news/111-02202008-1490646.html
***********************************************************
Stans Railpix railphotoexpress.com Store !!
http://www.cafepress.com/stans_railpix
Stan'S Railpix;-A-Rail-Photo-Gallery !!
http://www.trainweb.org/railpix
Will remain a FREE site with 2426+1/2 images posted.
***********************************************************