Metro News Release
For immediate release: September 10, 2009
Metro receives federal grants to enhance security
Grants will fund more Metro Transit Police officers, cameras and training
Metro will receive $78.3 million in grants from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to enhance the security of the Metro system, its riders and employees.
Grants will fund a variety of projects, including additional police officers and explosive detecting dogs, surveillance cameras, bus garage security, chemical detection, radio communications and emergency training for employees
Approximately $11 million will fund 25 new positions for the Metro Transit Police Department (MTPD), including three explosive detecting canine teams, 20 additional officers to form new anti-terrorism teams, a bomb response liaison officer and an intelligence analyst.
Metro will use about $27.8 million of the grant monies for surveillance cameras on rail cars and buses, at Metrorail station entrances, and at select subway ventilation shafts and entrance portals. About $7 million will be used to design and install a video monitoring system on rail cars. Another $6.4 million will fund cameras on buses and $2.8 million will pay for exterior surveillance cameras at each of Metro’s 153 station entrances. A surveillance camera system at ventilation shafts and entrance portals will cost about $11.5 million.
Additional security enhancements to be funded through DHS grants include $6.5 million to improve gates at the ends of station platforms to prevent people from entering the tunnels and $6.2 million to train frontline operations employees on their individual roles and responsibilities during the first 15 minutes of an incident.
“We’re grateful to the Department of Homeland Security for the grants, which we intend to put to use immediately and responsibly. The funding will help us make the Metro system safer for all of our customers and employees,” said Metro General Manager John Catoe.
“Safety is our top priority and the generous funding from DHS will help us strengthen our efforts to make the Metro system as safe as an open system can be,” said Metro Transit Police Chief Michael A. Taborn. “The funding will help us get more officers and resources on the street and in our stations to better protect the Metro system, our riders and employees.”
The federal funding comes from a variety of DHS grant programs including the National Explosives Detection Canine Team Program, State Homeland Security Program, Transit Security Grant Program and Urban Area Security Initiative.
The list of the grants and the projects they will fund can be found on Metro’s Web site at http://www.wmata.com/about_metro/board_of_directors/board_docs/091009_3CSafetySecurityProjects.pdf.
Media contact for this news release: Cathy Asato or Lisa Farbstein at 202-962-1051.
For all other inquiries, please call customer service at 202-637-7000.
News release issued at 4:47 pm, September 10, 2009.