Anti-terrorism exercise held at CBBT
Lori Crouch
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. - The rail, ferries and tunnels in Hampton Roads are getting extra attention. On Tuesday morning, dozens of law enforcement agents greeted drivers at the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel. The substantial traffic stop included a driver's license check as well as explosive and drug sniffing dogs.
It is part of the Transportation Security Administration's Viper Program and the agents aren't your TSA airport screeners, according to Federal Security Director Jeffrey Horowitz.
"We do rail, we do busing, we do pipelines. We're out there for all commercial modes of transportation," he said.
Horowitz says the government saw a need to better protect its mass transit systems after the 2004 Madrid terrorist attack. Nearly two hundred people died in the coordinated bombing of several of Madrid's commuter trains.
Since Viper's inception in 2007, 3,500 operations have been conducted, half of those this year. Agents have nabbed drugs and illegal weapons. The larger goal is to deter terrorist activity.
"We're going out and showing the people that we are interested in being involved in the local community and the federal government itself. So therefore it will prevent people from possibly wanting to come out here and cause trouble for us," says LT David Thornes with the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel police department.
It takes a combined effort of federal and local agencies to pull off a Viper operation. There were eight at the Bay Bridge, including two Coast Guard boats and a Virginia Beach police boat patrolling the bay. While Viper has been done at the James River Ferry, cruise ship terminal and rail stations, the Bay Bridge was the largest one yet.
Most drivers welcomed the stop and appreciated the security. "Doesn't bother me at all, I'd rather be safe than sorry," said one delivery truck driver.
Bridge operators plan to stay proactive and bring Viper back again soon.
www.wavy.com/dpp/news/local_news/local_wavy_vb_cbbt_viper_training_exercise_20091027