HYANNIS – The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Visible Intermodal Prevention and Response Teams will be visiting the Cape Cod Regional Transportation Center and travelling on board the Cape Flyer, the new tourist train that travels between the Cape and Boston.
The teams are part of a nationwide transportation security program that serves all modes of transportation.
TSA routinely conducts thousands of these types of operations nationwide each year.
CCRTA Administrator Tom Cahir stated “Safety and security is of paramount importance to all of us who provide transit services. The VIPR team will make periodic visits to enhance and supplement measures already in place and reinforce our commitment toward making our transportation facilities as safe as we can be.”
VIPR teams provide a full range of law enforcement and security capability; the exact makeup of VIPR teams is determined jointly with local authorities but can include federal air marshals, transportation security officers, TSA certified explosive detection canine teams, and local law enforcement officers.
Experience shows that regional planning and implementation provide the greatest security impact by aligning the frequency of deployments with risk reduction benefits for specific locations. VIPR teams work with local security and law enforcement officials to supplement existing security resources; provide a deterrent presence and detection capabilities; and introduce an element of unpredictability to disrupt potential terrorist planning or operational activities.
TSA VIPR teams can be deployed at random locations and times in cooperation with local authorities to deter and defeat terrorist and organized criminal activity; or teams may be deployed to provide additional law enforcement or security presence during specific alert periods or special events.
