http://www.courierpostonline.com/article/20100908/NEWS01/9080330/PATCO-riders-undergo-search
PATCO riders undergo search
LINDENWOLD — A swarm of DRPA police officers, uniformed screeners from the federal Transportation Security Administration and an explosives-sniffing K-9 greeted commuters at the Lindenwold PATCO station Tuesday morning, the first of what will be routine random searches of riders, their bags and vehicles.
After a lazy three-day weekend, the commotion took Kevin Greczyn, a regular PATCO commuter into Philadelphia, by surprise.
"It was chaotic," said the accountant from Magnolia. "Nobody was sure what was happening, whether it was safe to get on the train, or whether we were carrying something we shouldn't be.
"There were no guidelines, so we had no idea if something was illegal today that was legal yesterday,"
Between 6 and 10 a.m., about 12 TSA workers at Lindenwold screened 663 bags randomly selected from the morning rush, said Delaware River Port Authority Police Chief David McClintock.
"To my knowledge, the only item they confiscated was a crack pipe," he said. "That guy was arrested because a warrant was out for his arrest in Atlantic City. Screeners also found a fishing knife in a bag, but they decided there was no reason to keep it."
Police did not release the name of the man arrested.
Typically, 5,000 commuters daily use the Lindenwold station, the terminus of the 14.2-mile line in South Jersey.
Though Tuesday's drill was designed as a training session for a special DRPA police unit -- known as Visible Intermodal Prevention and Response -- there are more commuter searches to come. The unit plans to conduct searches several times monthly -- without advance notice -- at various PATCO stations.
TSA set up two long tables inside the gates of the Lindenwold station. Signs were posted at both entrances saying: "All persons beyond this point are subject to search of the person, packages and vehicles."
Greczyn said he and many other commuters were taken by surprise because they did not notice the signs.
Federal screeners were not looking for liquids, nail clippers or wine openers, items routinely confiscated by TSA at airports, explained McClintock.
"They look for improvised explosive devices and/or components," said McClintock. "Secondarily, they look for anything that looks like a weapon."
DRPA hired eight new police officers to work as an anti-terrorism team on the rail system for a period of three years. The move was funded with a $700,000 federal Homeland Security grant.
"We can conduct any kind of search we want," said McClintock. "We could ask TSA to bring wands or X-ray machines like they have in airports, though we don't think that's appropriate for PATCO riders at this time."
Rather than alarm commuters, the searches are supposed to give them "confidence that we are doing everything we can to keep the line safe. Transit lines are considered soft targets," said the chief.
Amtrak, SEPTA and other transit systems conduct similar searches.
"We've been doing random searches for years," said Amtrak spokesman Cliff Cole. "None have been in response to particular threats. It's more to show force.
"We like to keep them a surprise."
PATCO riders undergo search
LINDENWOLD — A swarm of DRPA police officers, uniformed screeners from the federal Transportation Security Administration and an explosives-sniffing K-9 greeted commuters at the Lindenwold PATCO station Tuesday morning, the first of what will be routine random searches of riders, their bags and vehicles.
After a lazy three-day weekend, the commotion took Kevin Greczyn, a regular PATCO commuter into Philadelphia, by surprise.
"It was chaotic," said the accountant from Magnolia. "Nobody was sure what was happening, whether it was safe to get on the train, or whether we were carrying something we shouldn't be.
"There were no guidelines, so we had no idea if something was illegal today that was legal yesterday,"
Between 6 and 10 a.m., about 12 TSA workers at Lindenwold screened 663 bags randomly selected from the morning rush, said Delaware River Port Authority Police Chief David McClintock.
"To my knowledge, the only item they confiscated was a crack pipe," he said. "That guy was arrested because a warrant was out for his arrest in Atlantic City. Screeners also found a fishing knife in a bag, but they decided there was no reason to keep it."
Police did not release the name of the man arrested.
Typically, 5,000 commuters daily use the Lindenwold station, the terminus of the 14.2-mile line in South Jersey.
Though Tuesday's drill was designed as a training session for a special DRPA police unit -- known as Visible Intermodal Prevention and Response -- there are more commuter searches to come. The unit plans to conduct searches several times monthly -- without advance notice -- at various PATCO stations.
TSA set up two long tables inside the gates of the Lindenwold station. Signs were posted at both entrances saying: "All persons beyond this point are subject to search of the person, packages and vehicles."
Greczyn said he and many other commuters were taken by surprise because they did not notice the signs.
Federal screeners were not looking for liquids, nail clippers or wine openers, items routinely confiscated by TSA at airports, explained McClintock.
"They look for improvised explosive devices and/or components," said McClintock. "Secondarily, they look for anything that looks like a weapon."
DRPA hired eight new police officers to work as an anti-terrorism team on the rail system for a period of three years. The move was funded with a $700,000 federal Homeland Security grant.
"We can conduct any kind of search we want," said McClintock. "We could ask TSA to bring wands or X-ray machines like they have in airports, though we don't think that's appropriate for PATCO riders at this time."
Rather than alarm commuters, the searches are supposed to give them "confidence that we are doing everything we can to keep the line safe. Transit lines are considered soft targets," said the chief.
Amtrak, SEPTA and other transit systems conduct similar searches.
"We've been doing random searches for years," said Amtrak spokesman Cliff Cole. "None have been in response to particular threats. It's more to show force.
"We like to keep them a surprise."
