Security Exercises At Amtrak Stations On The Hudson

Anyone near the six train stations along the Hudson River that serve Amtrak as well as Metro-North may get an eyeful today. Several law enforcement agencies are cooperating in a training exercise to practice counter-terrorism and emergency incident responses.

"Local law enforcement will be first on the scene during a terrorist attack," NYS Office of Counter Terrorism Director Colonel Michael Cerretto said. "It is vital for all first responders to work together with the transportation sector to improve the safety of New Yorkers who travel by rail."

Participating agencies in today's exercises include the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services, State Police, Metropolitan Transit Authority, Amtrak Police, and several local law enforcement agencies.

Operation NY Secure will take place on Amtrak's Empire Line and Metro-North's Hudson Line from the Albany/Rensselaer station to New York City's Penn Station at the following passenger train stations:

• Penn Station
• Yonkers Station
• Croton Harmon
• Peekskill
• Poughkeepsie
• Hudson
• Rhinecliff
• Albany/Rensselaer

"Keeping New Yorkers safe is our top priority," Gov. Andrew Cuomo said in an announcement. "This operation gives all levels of public safety partners the opportunity to coordinate and prepare for terrorist threats and emergency situations on our rail lines and I look forward to continuing the successful partnership with Amtrak and all of our law enforcement partners."

Cuomo said this is the launch of "Operation NY S.E.C.U.R.E." (Securing the Empire Corridor by Unifying Regional Efforts), the first multi-agency effort on Amtrak's Empire Line to promote better cooperation between law enforcement agencies and improve the state's capabilities to respond to actual emergencies on rail lines.

Officers will perform counter terrorism and incident response exercises at passenger train stations and along the right-of-way in Amtrak's Empire Corridor and on Metro-North's Hudson Line. This coordinated effort involves activities such as heightened platform patrols, increased security presence onboard trains, explosives detection canine sweeps,and counter-surveillance measures.

The goal of this operation is to improve coordination and response between the railroad police agencies that are responsible for each station, and the state and local law enforcement agencies that will be responding to emergencies at those locations.