Metro police work to reduce auto-train crashes

By ROSANNA RUIZ
Copyright 2008 Houston Chronicle

Agency's officers park at downtown intersections to deter motorists' turns into trains' path

The Metro Police Department is taking a stand against auto-train accidents by taking a seat.
The transit agency has parked officers at six downtown intersections every day for the past month, aimed at preventing motorists from making illegal turns into the path of oncoming light rail trains.
There have been 57 accidents on the rail line this year — five fewer than in the first year of operation — many of them the result of illegal turns, the transit agency has said.
The officers are monitoring the intersections as part of a pilot program that began Nov. 17, said Police Chief Tom Lambert of the Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County. Last month, the city of Houston and Metro made adjustments to traffic signals at the same intersections to allow rail cars to proceed a few moments ahead of motorists.
"Some may say we're being very aggressive with having officers at every intersection," Lambert said. "But we have a responsibility to public safety to make sure we reduce accidents."
Lambert said he will scale back the number of officers at the intersections along Main at St. Joseph, Franklin, Texas, Prairie, Preston and Congress. He said his review revealed no accidents had occurred at those sites since the start of the pilot program.
Starting Friday, he said, officers will be assigned to patrol "as appropriate" between Pierce and Commerce.
The change could not come soon enough for Metro officers, who have questioned the wisdom of requiring police to sit at the intersections for an entire shift rather than being out on patrol, said Dean Goodrick, the president of the Houston Police Patrolman's Union.
Robert Lozano, president of the Houston Metro Fraternal Order of Police would only say that officers follow the chief's orders.
Metro's response to the accidents is similar to the "saturation" method the Houston Police Department has employed to deal with spikes in crime in various parts of Houston, said Larry Hoover, a criminal justice professor and director of the Police Research Center at Sam Houston State University.
"The issue is how long or what is the duration of that assignment," Hoover said. "As long as it stays temporary, because if it becomes permanent, the price you pay to personal motivation and morale can be pretty strong."
mailto:rosanna.ruiz@chron.com


METRO WRITE ON BLOG HAD THIS POSTED TODAY:


Train Accidents Decline in Pilot Program
Thursday, December 18, 2008 12:55 PM

In the past 30 days, there have been no car/rail accidents caused by cars turning left downtown in front of a train.
That safety record is the result of a pilot program that ends this week and is a result of three factors, says Assistant Police Chief Tim Kelly of MPD.
"Education - the media attention to this effort helped to educate the driving public. Engineering - the signal timing changes implemented by the city of Houston. Enforcement - the dedicated police officers at six downtown intersections," explained Kelly. "It is a combination of these three, and no one factor can be attributed solely to this accident reduction."
Earlier, we wrote about how the city has worked closely with MPD to adjust the timing of traffic signals along the Red Line. The six test locations along Main Street are: St. Joseph, Franklin, Texas, Prairie, Preston and Congress.
The re-signaling has meant that METRORail gets a green light first, a few seconds before drivers get a green light to proceed. This permits the train to travel ahead of regular traffic at these intersections. Westbound and eastbound traffic has not been affected.
So far, this three-pronged approach is working.
By the end of this week, the police officers who have been deployed at the six downtown intersections will be reassigned, but "there will be continue to be dedicated police enforcement along Main Street to reinforce the positive changes we have made," said Kelly.
The new signal timing will stay in place. The city and METRO will work closely together to determine if more traffic lights need to be adjusted to benefit the rest of the Red Line.
"All in all, this has been a very successful joint effort between the city and METRO to enhance public safety along the Red Line corridor," said Kelly.

COMMENTS OR DISSCUSSION?

Remembering Fallen Officer Tim Abernethy

Courtney Zubowski / 11 News
HOUSTON -- Prosecutors have charged 28-year-old Mabry Landor with capital murder for allegedly shooting and killing Officer Tim Abernethy on Sunday. Landor will be in court on Tuesday, but tonight, friends and family are remembering the fallen officer.

Officer Tim Abernethy had been with the Houston Police Department for 11 years. To some, Abernethy was known as a police officer. To others, he was a son, a father and a husband.
"We called him Timbo," said Officer Lance Gibson, from the Houston Police Department.
Abernethy was a fun-loving and dedicated colleague.
"It's going to hurt this department. It's something that I'll never forget," said Gibson.
Officer Lance Gibson spent the last nine years working with Abernethy.
"It was tough, and it still hasn't hit me. I wanted to see him because I did not believe it. He was a close friend and we were together all week. The last time I had seen him was Friday," said Gibson.

On Friday, Gibson said Abernethy was happy and laughing at their division Christmas party.
"We were joking like we usually do and everything was normal. We were talking about what we were going to do the following week," said Gibson.
But instead of laughter, so far this week, has been filled with tears.
“When we got the word yesterday, it was like a part of you was missing. Tim will be missed," said Sgt. Leo Boutte, Houston Police Department.
Sergeant Leo Boutte was Abernethy’s supervisor. He said he was a hard worker and dedicated to his job.
"He was out there working a hot spot location, which is a place where there were crime problems. He was there to address it. The people lost someone who was out there fighting for them," said Boutte.
Boutte also said Abernethy was a family man and proud of it.
"His family was his number one thing. He was always talking about his family. He was proud of his son in the Navy, and real proud of his daughter who is an A&M graduate," said Boutte.
He was also proud of what he did as a police officer. He was a man his colleagues said you wanted to follow because you always knew Tim Abernethy would steer you in the right direction.
A vigil for the fallen officer is planned for Tuesday night at 6:30 outside the Luxor Apartments.
Officer Abernethy's family, fellow officers and friends will lay him to rest friday morning at 11:00. The service will be held at the Champion Forest Baptist Church on Stuebner-Airline Road.
The funeral will be open to the public.

I was planning on writing something myself but this article actually is pretty good. This hits home to a lot of us who knew him or knew of him. He will be remembered as the good Officer that he is. Present tense on purpose. He maybe patrolling HEAVEN's beat but he will be with each and everyone of us.

This tragic and senseless end could be anyone of us at anytime. Remember that while you are sitting at the intersections, transit centers or answering that boring emergency alarm. Be prepared for the unexpected and always be alert and have a plan.

Christmas List for the Lodge.

If you had to turn in a Lodge Christmas list to the Chief or President and the Board, What will be on it? It can be big as retirement or small as placing a flat screen in the officers work area, or a fan for that matter. What will be on your list? You may respond by name or not. Your choice, your list................