Metro News Release
For immediate release: July 21, 2005
Security precautions made in Metro system following latest London explosions
Metro has increased numbers of uniformed police officers in the Metrorail and Metrobus system as the heightened security level, which has been in place since the July 7 attacks in the London Underground and bus continues today after a second attack on the London Underground and its passengers.
Some of the steps taken this morning included:
- deploying of other local police agencies in the Metro system such as the U.S. Park Police, Pentagon Police Force, Capitol Police, and police departments from several jurisdictions which have Metro facilities such as Arlington, Prince George’s County, Fairfax County, Montgomery County, the City of Alexandria and the Metropolitan Police of the District of Columbia;
- halting contractor maintenance work until further notice;
- alerting customers of the London incidents via the Metro eAlert system;
- reminding Metro’s 10,000 employees to continue to remain vigilant in their surveillance of the system in seeking out anything suspicious;
- andaltering the daily deployment of police officers.
Several security initiatives that are not visible to customers also have been implemented, but officials are not revealing those to the public.
Metro officials have not received any direct threat to the Metrorail and Metrobus system, however customers are encouraged to continue to be an extension of the eyes and ears of the police officers by reporting unattended packages or suspicious behavior to Metro employees or police officers, or by calling 202-962-2121.
Customers are encouraged to visit the emergency preparedness web site at: http://www.wmata.com/riding/safety/emergency_preparedness.cfm.
News release issued on July 21, 2005.