News & Information

Washington Metro Transit Police Conducting Anti-terrorism Drills

Last week, Washington Metro Transit Police staged their largest anti-terrorism drill. About 50 officers, some with M-4 rifles and others with bomb detecting dogs, positioned themselves in Union Station as part of a new initiative to discourage attacks.

Metro Transit Police are planning more drills as part of their initiative, titled Blue TIDE (Terrorism Identification and Deterrence Effort). Other exercises planned for this month are modeled after terrorist attacks in Madrid, Mumbai, and London. About 200 to 300 officers and first responders from across the region will be part of the drills that will include simulations of the bombing of a Metrobus, an explosion in the tunnel between the Rosslyn and Foggy Bottom-GWU Metro stations, and shooters at the Friendship Heights Metro station.

Washington's rapid transit system is one of the largest in the United States and serves hundreds of thousands of passengers each day. An attack to this system could have devastating results.

Sources:
Metro Transit Police stage large anti-terrorism drill
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/02/02/AR201002...

Prevention Relevance:
Anti-terrorism drills help to prepare officers and first responders for the possibility of an actual attack. Through drills, emergency managers can identify needed resources and potential problems.

Prevention Thought:
Risk Management: What possible locations in your area could be a target for a terrorist attack? Does your agency conduct drills that collaborate with other agencies to pool resources?

IPS Contact Information:
The Institute for Preventive Strategies is a national service of the Center for Rural Development, a not-for-profit organization headquartered in Somerset Kentucky.

You may contact the Institute by e-mail at: info@preventivestrategies.net

You may correspond with the Institute at:

Institute for Preventive Strategies
2292 South Highway 27, Suite 300
Somerset, KY 42501

Telephone: 1-800-860-6657

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