(The following article by Jonathan Lucas was published in the Stamford Advocate on April 8.)
STAMFORD, Conn. — Transit officials say an advertising campaign encouraging commuters on Metro-North Railroad and elsewhere to report suspicious packages or people has increased awareness about potential terrorism threats.
Since launching its “If You See Something, Say Something” campaign last month, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority has reported a hike in the number of calls about suspicious behavior.
The ads coincided with the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq and the raising of the nation’s terror alert level to orange, the second highest in the color-coded five-point scale.
“People are on edge, but it’s not because of the signs. It’s everything else that’s going on in the world right now,” said Alex, 24, a telecommunications specialist who frequently commutes from her home in Staten Island, N.Y., to Stamford. “I feel as safe as I possibly can feel considering what’s going on.”
Although he had no numbers showing an increase in reports, MTA spokesman Tom Kelly said the campaign is working.
“We know it’s a success simply because the interactions between customers and MTA Police, National Guardsmen or state troopers happens much more frequently than it ever did before,” Kelly said. “This has given people a reason to be more communicative because this is something that we as a railroad and overall transit system are encouraging them to do.”
State police in Connecticut, New Jersey and New York have stepped up their presence on commuter trains throughout the metropolitan area, but Kelly said commuters are the most familiar with their surroundings and are the best defense against possible threats.
The black-and-white ads are posted in thousands of commuter and subway trains and buses and urge commuters to report suspicious activity to authorities or call a toll-free tip line, (888) NYC-SAFE.
“We’ve had numerous customers calling that number to report suspicious people and things,” said Marjorie Anders, a spokeswoman for Metro-North.
Anders is informed of reports that could cause delays or close stations along Metro-North lines. She said she has noticed an increase in reports.
“They’ve all been unfounded, but there has been an increase,” Anders said. “And that’s a good thing because it shows that people are being more vigilant.”