News

Washington DC transit system holds anti-terror drills

By: AFP

Wed, 03 Feb 2010 0:53:41 CST

Dozens of police officers swarmed one of Washington DC's busiest stations with dogs and bomb technicians during Tuesday's morning rush hour, to demonstrate that the US capital city's transit system can thwart possible terror attacks.

At around 7:30 am (1330 GMT), some 50 officers from various Metro police units -- including its new anti-terror team, special response teams and criminal investigators -- began their work at the Union Station subway stop near the US Capitol building that houses Congress.

"The event is meant to remind riders that Metro remains vigilant against terrorist activity," Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority spokeswoman Cathy Asato said in a recorded statement.

"It is important to remember there is no current threat to the transit agency or any elevated threat level."

Washington's rapid transit system serves hundreds of thousands of passengers each day and is one of the largest in the United States.

The security exercises kick off a series of broader emergency response exercises that will bring together participants from local law enforcement, fire and emergency medical services departments, federal agencies and multiple Metro departments.

Those tactical exercises in the US capital city, which aim to avert disasters on the scale of the 2008 Mumbai attacks, the London Underground bombings in 2005 and the Madrid commuter train attacks in 2004 -- are scheduled for February 12, 13 and 24.

They will be followed by two tabletop drills with emergency managers and senior leadership executives.

In a bid to help bolster its defenses against a potential attack, the city transit agency formed a 20-member anti-terror team in December through a 9.6-million-dollar grant from the Department of Homeland Security.

The team also conducts random patrols on the transit system with higher visibility of uniformed officers and more frequent security sweeps of the system's facilities and tunnels.

Metro services subway and bus passengers in Maryland, Virginia and the nation's capital.

"Ensuring the safety and security of our riders and employees while keeping our trains and buses running smoothly is at the heart of our mission," Metro Transit Police Acting Chief Jeff Delinski said in a statement.

"Metro and area emergency responders need to be prepared to respond to any form of terrorist attack or other crisis that would impact Metro's ability to provide essential transportation services in the National Capital Region," he added.

The exercises are funded through a 1.2-million-dollar grant with the Department of Homeland Security's Urban Area Security Initiative.