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NJ TRANSIT NJ TRANSIT

NYPD PATROLS BEGIN ON NJ TRANSIT TRAINS AS PART OF COOPERATIVE SECURITY EFFORT

Customers reminded to report suspicious activity, unattended packages

July 8, 2005
NJT-05-098

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Dan Stessel 973-491-7078

NEWARK, NJ ¿ NJ TRANSIT Police Chief Joseph C. Bober and New York City Police Chief Raymond Kelly today announced that NYPD officers would begin riding NJ TRANSIT trains into New Jersey as part of the cooperative security effort between the two agencies.

¿We recognize that effective security in New York must begin in New Jersey,¿ said Chief Bober. ¿In addition to NJ TRANSIT Police Officers and State Troopers, our customers can take comfort in knowing that the NYPD will be aboard many of our trains to provide an additional layer of security, and I would like to thank Chief Kelly for his assistance.¿

This marks the first time New York City officers have provided security aboard NJ TRANSIT trains. NJ TRANSIT Police began riding trains into New York yesterday when Governor Pataki signed an executive order giving them police powers in his state.

NJ TRANSIT continued to provide a heightened level of security today with double the number of police officers on patrol systemwide and triple the number of bomb-detecting K9 units.

Customers boarding trains, buses and light rail vehicles around the state today were likely to notice the robust security effort, which was made possible thanks to an outpouring of support from the New Jersey State Police, as well as county and local law enforcement agencies from around the state.

Customers who see suspicious activity or unattended packages at stations, aboard trains or buses, or near transit facilities are advised to call the NJ TRANSIT security hotline at 1-888-TIPS-NJT or notify a NJ TRANSIT police officer. To report a crime in progress, call 911.

Today, NJ TRANSIT Police continued their extensive outreach effort to advise customers to report suspicious activity and unattended packages. Officers were deployed at various stations throughout the systems to distribute orange ¿security tips¿ cards, which provide the suspicious activity tips line.

In addition, NJ TRANSIT used its ¿My Transit¿ alert system¿normally used to send delay information to customers¿ cell phones and Blackberries¿to provide customers with the security reminder. More than 25,000 customers received the electronic message.

NJ TRANSIT Police will continue operating on a heightened state of alert until further notice. Since 2001, NJ TRANSIT Police have:

  • Increased by more than 75 percent the number of uniformed and plainclothes police officers on patrol.
  • Deployed additional NJ TRANSIT K-9 bomb detection teams, in addition to teams provided by the New Jersey State Police.
  • Established vehicular inspection checkpoints and barricades at major terminals and stations.
  • Increased the use of electronic surveillance and detection systems.

NJ TRANSIT is the nation's largest statewide public transportation system providing more than 779,200 daily trips on 240 bus routes, three light rail lines and 11 commuter rail lines. It is the third largest transit system in the country with 162 rail stations, 52 light rail stations and more than 17,000 bus stops linking major points in New Jersey, New York and Philadelphia.