(The following article by Pete Donohue was posted on the New York Daily News website on May 26.)
NEW YORK — MTA police quietly have begun randomly screening Metro-North and Long Island railroad passengers for explosives, officials said yesterday.
The authority’s officers are using portable devices that allow them to determine whether someone is carrying explosives – or has recently handled explosives – without having to open up their backpacks, briefcases or other packages. Officers swipe small pieces of material along the outside of riders’ property, then place the swabs in Sabre 4000 detectors, which test for a number of dangerous compounds.
MTA spokesman Tom Kelly said the technology was approved by the federal Transportation Safety Administration, and the MTA launched the security program last month after six months of tests.
The authority and the manufacturer, Smiths Detection, would not discuss the MTA initiative or the technology in detail for security reasons. Smiths conducted a pilot program at Grand Central Terminal and Penn Station with the MTA late last year.
Beverly Dolinsky, executive director of the New York City Transit Riders Council, said the high-tech scrutiny was warranted.
“Since 9/11, I think we need every capability we can to make the system safer,” she said. “We live in a different world today.”
Jim Viscardi, manager of transportation security programs for Smiths Detection, said railroad riders need not worry about missing their trains.
“It’s very quick,” he said. “From the time a sample is taken to the time it’s determined if there is an explosive trace there, we’re talking about 30 seconds.”
The MTA also has purchased from Smiths portable minilabs that identify more than 26,000 powders, liquids and other types of substances.