Responding to incidents with Metro North and our highways
With a busy railroad and Route 9, Route 9A and Route 129 running through our Village, the Croton on Hudson Police Department needs to be prepared to assist in a myriad of possible incidents.
Metro North Railroad
Metro North is the busiest train station on the Hudson train line and the easy and quick access to New York City the train provides is one of a myriad of reasons so many choose to make Croton their home. The tracks are traversed by not only Metro North but also by Amtrack and CSX Freight. Along with the commuter, Amtrack and freight trains, the Harmon Rail Shops are located next to the station on a 100-acre property. Metro North has their own police and fire departments located on this 100-acre complex, however, with so many potential issues and hazards, the Croton Police Department is often called in to assist Metro North Police.
Croton Police are responsible for all law enforcement needs within the train station parking lot; however, the stairway is the demarcation to begin the jurisdiction of Metro North Police. Croton Police enforce the parking regulations within the parking lot and respond to all general law enforcement needs within the parking lot. The police maintain a presence during the busiest commuter times and patrol the lot as part of their daily patrol duties.
Any incident or need for police services that occur on Metro North property or trains, is the jurisdiction and responsibility of that agency, not Croton Police. All incidents of crime, injury or lost property should be reported to Metro North police, not the Croton police. When making such a report or in search of lost property, it is helpful to have the date, time, and exact train information for the Metro North police. A lost and found department is located at Grand Central Station and all lost property inquiries should be directed to that department. Croton police will assist members of the public with determining the proper agency to report an incident.
Although Metro North Police have their substation within the Harmon Yards, they are also responsible for patrolling the tracks and stations north and south of the Croton Harmon station. This may leave the Metro North Police as the “second responder” with Croton Police at times, arriving first to the scene. At times, even when Metro North is first on the scene, they may also request the assistance of the Croton Police. Croton police respond to various calls for assistance to include assisting passengers who are homeless or emotionally disturb, ill or injured, or irate. Croton Police also responds to assist with people who are trapped in the elevator if the elevator malfunctions. The Croton Fire department also responds to such elevator incidents, utilizing their equipment to free those who are trapped. Stranded elevator passengers are generally not removed when the elevator is stuck between floors, for fear of the elevator suddenly moving. The elevator will be moved to allow the doors to open at a floor, not between. At times, Croton police will be asked to assist passengers whose train was unable to make station stops and will discharged all passengers at Croton Harmon. The Croton police will assist with directing traffic due to the increase in the number of cars picking up passengers, provide guidance to lost or confused passengers, assist with directing passengers to waiting taxis, and provide any additional support needed.
Hazardous Materials, accidents, and derailments
While the commuter trains, Amtrack, and CSX do not generally transport hazardous materials, on the east side of the Hudson River, a train with hazardous materials will occasionally utilize these tracks. When this happens, Metro North is made aware in advance in case of any incident, such as a derailment. If there is any hazardous material spill or leak, accident, or derailment, Croton Police will most likely be asked to assist Metro North, whether with removing passengers or securing surrounding roadways. The Croton police department is not the primary responder and will not have command of the scene. If such an incident occurred, Croton police will notify the Westchester County 60 Control emergency response center and Metro North will utilize their alert system to ensure all necessary and trained agencies will respond with a multitude of resources not available to the Croton police. Such responding agencies might include County, State and / or Federal agencies. If Croton Police are first to arrive on the scene of such an incident, their primary responsibility is to protect life, aid the injured and secure the area until Metro North responds. Croton Police will generally not remove passengers until Metro North has determined that all train traffic has been halted and all rails are safe. Croton police will remove injured passengers if time is of the essence, and they can do so without further injuring the victims or themselves. Croton police are not trained nor able to determine which rail lines are charged. They will request all rail traffic be halted. Until rail lines are shut down and no longer charged the danger of inadvertently stepping on a third rail or being hit by a train only worsens a bad situation and may tragically add to the number of people needing assistance.
Terrorism
Croton police will occasionally assist the Metro North police at the Harmon station to investigate a suspicious package, often a suitcase or other personal item that was accidentally left on the platform or in the station. The police will utilize their training to determine if the package is a potential hazard and if additional support is needed. If such support is needed, Metro North will notify the proper agencies.
Active Shooter Scenarios
The Croton on Hudson Police department trains yearly for various active shooter scenarios. While they do not train specifically for a mass shooting on a train and they are not trained to coordinate with Metro North if such an incident were to happen, Croton Police are well prepared to assist in any shooting event. As with all active shooter threats, police are trained to stop the threat and treat the wounded
Emergency Drills
Yearly drills are held in conjunction with Metro North police, Metro North fire, conductors, additional Metro North personnel, along with the Croton on Hudson Fire department. These drills anticipate all possible scenarios that each agency might need to assist with.
Safety On the Platform
While Croton Harmon station is generally safe, it is important for all rail passengers, regardless of station, to be always mindful of their surroundings. The Croton police suggest that while waiting on the platform, stand at least your body height plus and an extra foot of distance from the edge of the platform. For example, if you are 6’ tall, try to stand 7’ from the edge of the platform. If possible, keep your back to a solid object. When walking to and from your car, watch for cars and be aware of other people around you. If you feel unsafe, do not hesitate to call the police.
Highway incidents
Route 9, Route 9A, and Route 129 all traverse our Village and have the potential for vehicular accidents. Such accidents may involve trucks carrying hazardous material. The Croton Police department is equipped to read all truck hazardous material placards and determine the threat level of material from such a truck. While the fire department is best equipped to assist with hazardous material spills, the police will most likely be the first on the scene. If there is a hazardous material incident, the police will determine the potential for danger to the public and cordon off the area if necessary. The police will notify Westchester County Control 60 emergency response center to notify and gain assistance from all needed agencies. Fortunately, the police and fire departments, and County Control 60 have an excellent working relationship and coordination of services will be maximized.
This article was written by members of the Police Advisory Committee as part of the Community Information Project.