Nov 4, 2009 8:03 am US/Eastern
Transit Task Force Takes To The Rails Wednesday
Miami (CBS4 News) ―
If you take a train to work Wednesday, you may be sharing your seat with a police officer, deputy, firefighter, or federal agent. You'll be able to spot them Wednesday, because they want you to know they're there. It's all part of Operation Transit Shield, a joint law enforcement operation intended to promote security on South Florida transit trains.
This is the second year the agencies have held the joint operation, and it's all intended to help get transit riders involved in the ongoing effort by the different agencies to keep trains safe from terrorists.
Mark Hatfield, with the TSA Miami, said agents and officers take part in operations on trains on a regular basis, most of the time, in ways the public doesn't see. Occasionally, they make their presence known, such as patrolling a train or a station with specially trained dogs.
Passenger Leslie Moller knows one or two things about security. She's a flight attendant who travels tri rail frequently. "As far as terrorism, i don't see anything in the way of searches, people come on with bags of all sorts and sizes," she says.
The idea is to keep potential terrorists from knowing where, when, or how law enforcement will keep track of their activities.
"The way to keep the terrorists off balance is to break from the routine," said Hatfield. "If things change from day to day they can't prepare."
Broward Sheriff Al Lamberti, whose agency is taking part in the joint operation, asked for the public's help to report any suspicious activity. There is no specific threat to transit in South Florida, just the possibility that anything big and carrying thousands of people daily could be a target.
Lamberti says with three big upcoming sport events, the Orange Bowl, Super Bowl and Pro Bowl, a lot of people will be coming to South Florida and using public transportation.
To get the public to help out, the people taking part in Operation Transit Shield will be handing out leaflets Wednesday telling commuters what they can do to help spot possible terrorism, to in effect be the eyes and ears of law enforcement.
Even with law enforcement riding the trains, there are far more commuters than than cops, so the agencies behind Operation Transit Shield say cooperation can make things safer for everyone.
Click Here for more information on Operation Transit Shield II.
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