Commuters' clothing, pockets, bags and vehicles to be randomly searched
By TERESA MASTERSON
Updated 8:58 AM EST, Thu, Sep 9, 2010

Commuters who ride PATCO trains between southern New Jersey and Philadelphia should expect random searches of their clothing, pockets, bags and vehicles on their morning trip to work.

Twelve Transportation Security Administration screeners, armed with an explosive-sniffing K-9, checked 663 commuter bags randomly selected from the morning rush at the Lindenwold station Tuesday.

"It was chaotic," Kevin Greczyn, an accountant from Magnolia who commutes to Philadelphia daily, told the Courier Post. "Nobody was sure what was happening, whether it was safe to get on the train, or whether we were carrying something we shouldn't be.”

Delaware River Port Authority Police Chief David McClintock told The Courier Post of Cherry Hill screeners were looking for improvised explosive devices and weapons.

The chief says that out of the 6663 bags searched between 6 a.m. and 10 a.m., a crack pipe was the only item confiscated.

“We can conduct any kind of search we want," said McClintock. "We could ask TSA to bring wands or X-ray machines like they have in airports, though we don't think that's appropriate for PATCO riders at this time."

There are about 5,000 commuters passing through the Lindenwold daily, according to the Courier Post. The searches will be conducted by a freshly hired DRPA police several times a month, --without advance warning -- at various
PATCO stations.

A special Delaware River Port Authority police unit plans to conduct surprise searches at various PATCO stations.

By Thomas Frank, USA TODAY
ARLINGTON, Va. — Protecting riders on mass-transit systems from terrorist attacks will be as high a priority as ensuring safe air travel, the new head of the Transportation Security Administration promises.
In his first interview since taking over the TSA, former FBI deputy director John Pistole told USA TODAY that some terrorists consider subway and rail cars an easier target than heavily secured planes. "Given the list of threats on subways and rails over the last six years going on seven years, we know that some terrorist groups see rail and subways as being more vulnerable because there's not the type of screening that you find in aviation," he said. "From my perspective, that is an equally important threat area."

Pistole, 54, took over the TSA on July 1 after 26 years at the FBI. He said he wants to make the agency a full partner in U.S. counterterrorism efforts.

The attempted bombing of a flight over Detroit last Christmas indicates "al-Qaeda and affiliates are still interested in doing some type of attack involving aviation," Pistole said.

Members of Congress, including House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., have pressed the TSA to put more money into mass-transit security. Thompson met with Pistole on Thursday and said the two agreed.

Thompson said he was "impressed with Pistole's knowledge of security" and with his experience at the FBI as a manager. "From that, I am confident he won't pass on making difficult decisions," Thompson said.

Deputy FBI director from 2004 until taking over the TSA, Pistole brings an extensive security and counterterrorism experience to the 60,000-person agency that was created after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. He was deeply involved in high-profile terrorism investigations, including the Christmas Day bombing attempt and the attempted car bombing in New York City's Times Square in May.

Pistole said he wants TSA workers, including 47,000 screeners at 450 airports, to operate as a "national-security, counterterrorism organization, fully integrated into U.S. government efforts."

"I want to take TSA to the next level," Pistole said.

Pistole is President Obama's first TSA chief. Two Obama nominees withdrew during the confirmation process.

"I want to take TSA to the next level," Pistole said.