DHSES, State Police, and Local Law Enforcement Agencies Join Amtrak and MTA Police to Secure Train Stations from Albany to Yonkers

Second Round of Exercises Expanded to Four New MTA Stations; Five New Local Law Enforcement Agencies Involved

The State’s Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services today announced the next series of "Operation NY S.E.C.U.R.E." (Securing the Empire Corridor by Unifying Regional Efforts) rail exercises will take place tomorrow morning, June 27. This multi-agency effort on Amtrak's Empire Line and MTA Metro-North Railroad’s Hudson Line promotes better cooperation between law enforcement agencies and helps improve the state's capabilities to respond to actual emergencies on rail lines. Following April’s successful exercises, this next round will expand operations to incorporate four additional MTA Metro-North Stations, and add five new law enforcement agencies will participate in the drills.

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 from Yonkers to Albany. 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. Currently there are no known threats

Operation NY Secure will take place at the following passenger train stations: 

• Albany/Rensselaer
• Hudson
• Rhinecliff
• Poughkeepsie
• New Hamburg*
• Beacon*
• Cold Spring*
• Croton Harmon
• Tarrytown*
• Yonkers Station 

*New Participant

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

• City of Poughkeepsie Police Department
• Town of Poughkeepsie Police Department*
• City of Beacon Police Department*
• Village of Cold Spring Police Department*
• Putnam County Sheriff*
• Village of Croton-on-Hudson Police Department
• Tarrytown Police Department*
• Yonkers Police Department

*New Participant

Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services Commissioner Roger Parrino, Sr. said, "These exercises are an integral part of homeland security efforts across the State of New York and ensuring that law enforcement partners can work together seamlessly is an integral part of training and preparedness.  I want to thank Amtrak, State Police, MTA, and all of our local law enforcement partners, as well as our ever increasing new partners, for their dedication and partnership as we work together for the common goal of keeping New Yorkers safe."

State Police Superintendent George P. Beach II said, “Preparation and collaboration are important components of any emergency response, and these exercises further strengthen our ability to handle any type of incident along these heavily traveled rail lines. I want to thank our members and all participating agencies for their ongoing commitment to protect New Yorkers.” 

MTA Chairman Joseph J. Lhota said,  “The safety and security of our customers and the general public are core values of the MTA Police Department and the entire MTA. We are very pleased to be improving our response readiness and our coordination with our security partners through this program.”

Colonel Michael Cerretto, Director of New York State’s Office of Counter Terrorism said, “The current terrorism threat environment is increasingly complex, making it essential for the State of New York to conduct exercises like these, which strengthen our relationships with local and federal partners and test our ability to respond to a terrorist attack.”

Amtrak Police Department Deputy Chief of Police Martin Conway said, “Safety is Amtrak’s top priority - whether if it is on a train, at a station, or on our right of way. We will continue to work with our partners to ensure the safety of our customers, employees and infrastructure. We look forward to collaborating with New York State Police, MTA, local police, and the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services on this exercise, as well as on new initiatives in the future.”

About DHSES

The Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services provides leadership, coordination and support for efforts to prevent, protect against, prepare for, respond to, and recover from terrorism and other man-made and natural disasters, threats, fires and other emergencies. For more information, visit the Facebook page, follow @NYSDHSES on Twitter, or visit dhses.ny.gov.