New York, NY – The MTA’s bolstered rail security program, which will involve federal air marshals riding trains, is not a short-term affair, officials said.
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Metropolitan Transportation Authority officials are expecting to spend up to $5 million in overtime a year for MTA police, who will be spending far more time, and in greater numbers, riding trains and doing quick spot checks of trains at station platforms.
Officials would not detail manpower assignments, but the MTA Police Department has more than 700 officers, and CEO Elliot Sander said last week that every single one of them will play a role – the vast majority will either patrol trains on the rails or do step-on, step-off spot checks at station platforms.
Robert Jamison, federal Transportation Security Administration deputy administrator, said air marshals assigned to airports would be shifted to do some tours on the rails.
“We’re committed to this program,” he said. [nydailynews]