FRA awards more than $2 million in grants to support trespassing and suicide prevention efforts

A full list of passenger related projects funded by the two grant programs can be found below:

Railroad Trespassing Enforcement Grant Program (Total $1,275,632 for passenger rail related projects)

Hanford Police Department Railroad Trespassing Enforcement Project ($24,077) in Hanford, Calif.

The Hanford Police Department's (HPD) proposed project will fund railroad trespassing operations in the city of Hanford and Kings County. Railroad trespassing and railroad safety have been a concern for Hanford on a regular basis. Due to an increasing number of individuals occupying areas near the 6.22 miles of track, unsafe conditions are created for both trains, as well as the people who are occupying the areas around the track. Grant funding would allow for officers, along with officers from the Problem Oriented Policing unit, to conduct special operations targeting trespassing law violations along the railroad, thus enhancing safety. BNSF and Amtrak operate within the proposed project area.

Southern California Regional Rail Authority (SCRRA) for the Metrolink Trespasser Reduction Task Force ($112,795).

The SCRRA project is designed to reduce trespassing and trespasser strikes and related fatalities, in light of the 13 fatal trespass strikes at project area hot spots in 2021, through enhanced direct trespass enforcement to be conducted by SCRRA’s contracted law enforcement agency, Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department (LASD). This grant funding will provide four additional deputies and one sergeant on overtime to conduct 24 trespassing enforcement operations over 12 months along the BNSF/San Bernardino railroad subdivision and the Orange railroad subdivision. These enforcement activities will focus on railroad trespass hot spots within 10 cities across three Southern California counties (Orange, Riverside and Los Angeles).

City of Riverside, Calif., for the Riverside Trespassing Enforcement ($24,520)

The Riverside Police Department's (RPD) proposed project will create the Trespasser Reduction Task Force (TRTF). TRTF will consist of up to four officers and one sergeant to patrol railways and rail crossings throughout Riverside. RPD will use data driven, real time information to assist RPD with locating railroad trespassers. The TRTF will operate over the course of one year with goals of direct enforcement to cite and arrest trespassers in identified railroad trespassing hot spots, investigate trespasser reports, coordinate homeless encampment cleanup and outreach with City of Riverside Code Enforcement, Office of Homeless Solutions, along with the appropriate rail authority. The railways within Riverside supporting the project include BNSF, Union Pacific, Metrolink, Riverside County Transportation Committee and Amtrak.

City of San Bernardino, Calif., for Operation Safe Rails II ($120,000)

The San Bernardino Police Department's (SBPD) proposed project will continue to capitalize on the education, experience and success of the original Operation Safe Rails program to gather data and increase awareness of the dangers of trespassing on railroad tracks while reducing the occurrence. SBPD will use several data elements to identify vulnerable locations and pedestrian behaviors that are likely to contribute to trespass-related injuries or deaths along 30 miles of track and enforce the appropriate laws to discourage and change those behaviors in San Bernardino. The department has a workforce prepared to immediately begin Operation Safe Rails II upon notification and acceptance of funding. The city is home to the Santa Fe Railroad Depot, which currently serves Amtrak and Metrolink lines, a Metrolink station located in the heart of the downtown area, BNSF Railways and Union Pacific.

Broward County Sheriff’s Office, Fla., for the Railroad Trespassing Enforcement Grant ($120,000)

The Broward County Sheriff's Office’s (BSO) proposed project will be a three-pronged approach addressing traffic enforcement, pedestrian trespassing and a special focus on homeless outreach with an overarching goal of ending train-related casualties. BSO will use FRA funds to conduct enforcement at hot spots along the railroad tracks that transverse through Broward County. Special focus will be given to addressing issues of homeless encampments erected in and around FRA regulated tracks. BSO’s Homeless Outreach Team deputies will strive to remove individuals and relocate them to homeless shelters or appropriate behavioral health and social services. The project will have a significant positive impact on the local community and the railway accommodating Brightline, Tri-Rail commuter rail, Amtrak intercity passenger rail and Florida East Coast Railway.

City of Hollywood, Fla., for Operation Fast Track ($120,000)

The Hollywood Police Department's (HPD) proposed project consists of a 12-month enforcement and educational campaign to maintain a visible law enforcement presence along six miles of railroad mainline track to reduce railroad trespassing in Hollywood. The project is supported by a hot spot analysis with data on trespassing incidences along the rail lines and documentation of the trespass problem in Hollywood. If camps are located, the officers will notify the HPD Neighborhood Services Unit, who will coordinate with Public Works to effect removal and cleanup of the site. HPD has a strong understanding of rail trespassing challenges based on data from previous Railroad Trespassing Enforcement Grant. The railroads operating in the project area include Florida East Coast Railway, Tri-Rail, Brightline and Amtrak.

Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, Fla., for the PBSO Strategy for Reducing Railroad Trespassing ($120,000)

The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office’s (PBSO) proposed project will address railroad trespassing in the city of Lake Worth through enforcement activities and community awareness. For this project, enforcement will be conducted near the identified trespassing hot spots during peak trespass days/hours, as evidenced by supporting historical trespass data, information obtained through cameras strategically located in and around the railways, and data obtained through drone technology. Community awareness will also be provided by enforcement signage in English and Spanish near the railroad trespassing hot spot locations. PBSO has a strong understanding of rail trespassing challenges with a plan for activities specific to the circumstances in the community that includes innovative enforcement tactics using drones. The project will have a significant positive impact on the local community and the railway accommodating Tri-Rail commuter rail, Amtrak intercity passenger rail and CSX freight trains.

Brunswick, Maine, for the Brunswick Railroad Trespass Initiative ($77,000)

The Brunswick Police Department (BPD) proposes to use foot patrol, CCTV cameras, unmanned aerial systems (UAS, commonly referred to as drones) and Geographic Information System (GIS) spatial analysis to determine railroad trespassing Hot Spots along with contributing factors of those who trespass. BPD proposes to implement a blended approach of drone technology and foot patrols to locate and identifying railroads trespassers. BPD will develop a rail trespassing enforcement program to share, train, and/or assist local and neighboring law enforcement agencies on implementing a response strategy using drone monitoring as well as trespassing countermeasures and develop a model for building effective problem-solving partnerships with local law enforcement, community stakeholders and local governments. BPD has a strong understanding of rail trespassing challenges based on previous partnerships with FRA to develop and real-world test railroad trespassing countermeasures. Railroads operating in proposed project area are Pan Am Railways, Amtrak and the State of Maine Railroad.

Fitchburg, Mass., for the Fitchburg Railroad Trespassing Enforcement Program ($42,892)

The Fitchburg Police Department's (FPD) proposed project will allow officers to undertake Hot Spot enforcement activities at, along and around FRA regulated railroad tracks in Fitchburg. Enforcement activities will be done on an overtime basis and will include investigating incidents or reports of trespassing. Warnings, arrests, or citations will be issued to trespassers for violating rail-related trespass laws. Enforcement activities will be primarily conducted in the area along the railroad tracks from about Bemis Road to Boulder Drive. FPD has detailed documentation and data on its trespassing problem, particularly at its identified Hot Spots. Over the past 10 years in Fitchburg, nearly a dozen people have died or have been seriously injured because of railroad trespassing, and homeless encampments along the railroad tracks within the city continue risks of trespassing. FPD has a strong understanding of rail trespassing challenges based on data from previous Railroad Trespassing Enforcement Grant. The railroads operating in this area include Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA), Pan-Am and Amtrak.

Worcester, Mass., for the Trespass Prevention Program ($120,000)

The Worcester Police Department's (WPD) proposed project will conduct railroad education and enforcement activities at hot spot locations along railroad rights of way that operate within Worcester. Guided by local information, crime statistics and effective community response, the Worcester Trespass Prevention Program is a 26-week program of law enforcement patrols roughly from May 1 through October 31, when seasonal weather conditions in the Northeast are more favorable and the community is often outdoors. By increasing the number and frequency of law enforcement patrols and fines within railroad trespassing hot spot locations, law enforcement will give attention to trouble areas, improve safety and quality of life, mitigate risks of railroad trespassing, and increase awareness, knowledge, and perceptions about railroad trespassing. Overall, the project will improve safety through enforcement-based activities as well as connections with social services. Railroads operating in the proposed project area are MBTA, PW, CSX and Amtrak.

Dearborn Police Department (DPD) in Michigan for its Railroad Trespassing Enforcement Program ($114,348)

DPD proposes to implement a mitigation strategy to reduce rail trespass incidents. The mitigation strategy will be high visibility and heavy engagement at identified geographical hot spots. Dedicated railroad enforcement patrols will identify the concerns much faster than relying on citizen notifications or notifications from railroad personnel, potentially resulting in a tragedy which could have otherwise been prevented. DPD will collaborate with railroads and railroad police. Rail-related trespassing enforcement activities will include investigating incidents and reports of trespassing and providing warnings and citations to trespassers. The one-year performance period program will consist of a team of two officers on four-hour blocks of overtime three times per week. This equates to 24 hours per week or 1,251 hours of dedicated railroad trespass enforcement. DPD has responded to more than 1,700 railroad related incidents since 2016. The railways within the city of Dearborn are Amtrak and CSX.

Greensboro, N.C., Police Department Railway Trespass Initiative ($120,000)

The Greensboro Police Department's (GPD) proposed project includes a comprehensive trespass prevention program with directed law enforcement patrols at identified railroad trespass Hot Spots within Greensboro. Greensboro’s railroad trespass enforcement target area encompasses a three-mile railroad corridor in a densely populated area, which was one of five major trespassing locations in the state identified in research conducted by the North Carolina State University, Institute for Transportation Research and Education. Additionally, the patrols will focus on educating the public on the dangers of rail crossings, collecting data on trespassers, as well as enforcing trespass laws. GPD has a strong understanding of rail trespassing challenges based on data from previous Railroad Trespassing Enforcement Grants. In addition to these specific patrols, the ATV officers will coordinate with the department’s Traffic Safety Unit, as well as the department’s Community Resource Officers, and conduct rail safety campaigns where they saturate rail crossings and trespass locations to educate and inform. The railroads operating in the project area include Norfolk Southern and Amtrak.

Lower Makefield Township, Penn., for its Police Department Railroad Trespass Safety and Enforcement ($40,000)

The Lower Makefield Township Police Department's (LMTPD) proposed project will provide for approximately 12 hours of proactive police patrol activities each week for one year. Officers assigned to these patrols/details will monitor rail lines and the adjacent property during these directed patrols. Officers locating trespassers will take the appropriate enforcement or referral actions. LMTPD will analyze internal and external data elements to determine Hot Spot locations along the Township’s four miles of rail lines. LMTPD has responded to five rail-related suicides in the last five years. Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority and CSX Transportation operate in the proposed project area.

Houston, Texas, Police Railroad Trespassing Initiative ($120,000)

The Houston Police Department's (HPD) proposed project will deploy up to four HPD officers patrolling rail corridors in search of trespassers. HPD will determine Hot Spot locations by using statistical data available from the FRA, railroads and internal databases. HPD will be able to deploy two sergeants and two officers for one eight-hour shift each week to conduct proactive patrols. The schedule will vary based on data received on the most frequent trespassing times and the locations to be patrolled. HPD will conduct ongoing Hot Spot data analysis to ensure officers are effective. HPD will utilize the department’s computerized warning tracking system, dispatch system, report writing system, departmental cell phones and body camera database, along with officers in the field to quickly determine the severity of the offense committed by the violator. Repeated violators may be subject to enhanced enforcement actions. HPD will deploy as necessary all-terrain vehicles, canine units, and aerial support craft to access difficult areas along the railroad rights-of-way. A major strength of the project is the ability to analyze real-time enforcement efforts and adjust accordingly, which will be beneficial for trespassing enforcement in this community.

Railroad Trespassing Suicide Prevention Grant Program (Total $207,000)

The South Florida Regional Transportation Authority (SFRTA) Rail Corridor Railroad Suicide Prevention Education and Outreach Campaign Project ($56,500)

SFRTA’s proposed project will address railroad-related suicides and trespassing on the South Florida Rail Corridor (SFRC) in the tri-county areas of Palm Beach, Broward and Miami-Dade counties. The grant funds will be used to provide a public education and outreach campaign program for suicide prevention in conjunction with mental health professionals and local law enforcement agencies. The project will aim to develop a sustainable outreach program to be used as a template and tailored to the specific issues within the region. SFRTA will partner with 211 Palm Beach/Treasure Coast (211), a private nonprofit 501(c)3 agency that was started in 1971 in Palm Beach County as a drug hotline and quickly expanded into crisis counseling and suicide prevention. The training concepts to be used during an encounter will be to identify potential suicidal victims and increase SFRTA staff and local law enforcement’s psychological knowledge and confidence in preventing suicides. The project will have a significant positive impact on the local community and railway accommodating multiple users. Railroads that operate within the proposed project area are Amtrak intercity passenger trains, CSX freight trains and Tri-Rail commuter trains.

Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority's (MBTA) Suicide Trespass Prevention Project ($100,000)

The MBTA proposed project will engage specific stakeholders and relevant communities to help reduce the occurrence of trespasser suicide by increasing employee awareness and intervention skills through employee training activities. The proposed project will be directed by a steering committee currently in place at MBTA, entitled the Commuter Rail Collision Resource Committee (CRCRC), over a 12-month period and implemented by the MBTA with the support of the Samaritans, Inc., nonprofit and other expert psychologists and specialists skilled in training mental health professionals and working with the transportation industry. The proposed project will address trespass suicide on the MBTA system by conducting training and outreach with key railroad staff, first responders and selected representatives of local community agencies. The targeted groups will be railroad staff, first responders and other key stakeholders and community agencies impacted by railroad trespassers at risk for intentional self-harm. Training materials will be developed for both in-person and online training programs and for a train the trainer framework. The project will have a significant positive impact on the local community and the railway accommodating MBTA and the Greater Boston area. Railroads operating within this proposed project area are MBTA Commuter Rail, Amtrak, GWRR/PW Railways, Pan-Am Railways, CSX and MA Costal Railroad.

New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) Expansion of Trespassing and Suicide Prevention Initiatives ($50,500)

MTA will use this funding to expand its current trespassing and suicide prevention mitigation efforts to include all 125 stations throughout the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) system and by working in partnership with the New York State Office of Mental Health (NYS OMH) Suicide Prevention Center of New York (SPCNY) to develop and pilot a customized Gatekeepers to Hope suicide intervention training program for public-facing Stations Department personnel. SPCNY will work with LIRR Corporate Safety to customize the existing Gatekeepers to Hope training program to incorporate the unique characteristics of the railroad operating environment and LIRR Stations personnel. The applicant will develop a customized curriculum focused on identifying vulnerable individuals and utilizing supportive intervention techniques and will pilot test the customized training with Stations Department Management and Corporate Safety Department personnel. SPCNY will then conduct a comprehensive “train the trainer” program to develop the capacity of Stations Management to conduct the training independently as well as for selected Corporate Safety Department employees. The project will have a significant positive impact on the local community and the railway accommodating LIRR.