Fed Money for PA Transit

From the inbox:

Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Janet Napolitano today announced nearly $78 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) Transit Security Grant Program (TSGP) funding for approximately 240 new law enforcement officers at 15 transit systems across the country to enhance the nation’s ability to guard against acts of terrorism.

“Securing our mass transit systems requires well-trained personnel on the ground to protect against those who seek to cause harm,” said Secretary Napolitano. “This Recovery Act money will create critical law enforcement jobs that will help our nation prevent terrorist attacks.”

Secretary Napolitano announced the funding at New York City’s Grand Central Terminal, where hundreds of thousands of commuters and visitors travel each day. The grants will provide approximately $35 million for approximately 125 new officers in the New York Police Department through the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority as well as additional resources in other urban transit systems across the nation.

The announcement reflects Secretary Napolitano’s commitment to applying Recovery Act funds to projects and programs that create jobs for Americans while strengthening the security of the United States quickly and efficiently.

The funds, allocated by the Transportation Security Administration through the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Fiscal Year 2009 Transit Security Grant Program, will be used by transit agencies to hire new law enforcement officers and by police departments with dedicated transit bureaus to hire anti-terrorism personnel, purchase anti-terrorism equipment and obtain and train explosive detection canines.

The three types of grants announced today include:


Ø Anti-Terrorism Teams, including overt and covert officers whose activities focus on terrorism prevention;

Ø Explosive Detection Canine Teams, which consist of an explosives detection canine and an officer/handler; and

Ø Mobile Explosives Detection Screening Teams, which deploy trained officers and explosives detection technology for random security screening in the transit environment.

PA projects included in today's announcements:

PA


Philadelphia Delaware River Port Authority (DRPA) $2,085,000

Southeast Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) $4,458,870