ROBERT A BRADY 102 CANNON HOUSE OFFICE BUILDING.
1ST DISTRICT, PENNSYLVANIA
WASHINGTON, DC 20515-3801
ii:i;i ,1- (1 252) 225-4731
FAX 202) 225 0088I
COMMITTEES
1909 SOUTH
HOUSE ot ti nttcb tatc
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FAX 215)389-4636
ARMED SERVICES 3OUC ot cprcnttatitic
1350 EDGMONT AVE
SUBCOMMIEE ON MILITARY PERSONNEL
ljmnton, 2O5l5-3SO CHESTER PA 19013
IRiS) 874-7594
FAX: 484) 81 6-0029
June 15 2015 /I 1 2630 MEMPHIS STREET
PHILADELPHIA, PA 19125
215) 426-4616
Honorable Tom Wheeler FAX.(215)426-7741
Chairman 2637 EAST CLEARFIELD STREET
Eli PHILADELPHIA, PA 18134
Federal Communications Commission (2671 519-2252
12I Street SW
FAX. 1267) 519-2262
www.brady.house.gov
Washington, DC 2.0554
Dear Mr. Wheeler:
I respectfully request that you improve the Amtrak Police Department's capacity to keep Amtrak
riders safe by granting the Amtrak Police access to public safety frequencies. This would enable
Amtrak police to effectively communicate and share data with other law enforcement agencies
when needed, especially in times of crisis. This would have been especially helpful during the
tragic Amtrak train number 188 derailment at Frankford Junction in my district in Philadelphia
just a few weeks ago, where eight people were killed and over 200 injured.
The Amtrak Police Department operates on an antiquated radio frequency spectrum that prevents
Amtrak police officers nationwide from communicating with local, state, and federal law
enforcement agencies. As such, Amtrak police patrol radios operate on a different radio
frequency from the Philadelphia police and Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority
(SEPTA) police. Since Amtrak has only one radio they can use to speak with Philadelphia
police, they were not able to keep abreast of the 911 calls when the train crashed. Over a decade
ago, incompatibility of radio systems were blamed for some of the confusion among first
responders to the World Trade Center tragedy. Since then, interoperability, or the ability of
agencies to talk and exchange information in real time, has been identified as a high priority in
public safety and remains that way today.
The Amtrak Police Department is on the frontlines of the fight to ensure the safety of nearly 2
million riders annually and the millions of residents who live in the cities along the Amtrak
corridor. "Operation RAILSAFE" is a coordinated effort between the Amtrak Police
Department, the New York City Police Department, and the Transportation Security
Administration that provides heightened station and right of way patrols, increased security
presence onboard trains, explosive detection canine sweeps, random passenger bag inspections,
and counter-surveillance. The success of this program further demonstrates the necessity of
interoperability between Amtrak and various law enforcement agencies.
Another example of the importance of optimizing transportation security again affects my
constituents because it will occur in Philadelphia. Pope Francis and the World Meeting of
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Families will meet in the City September of this year and the event is expected to attract two
million visitors to the City. Additionally, Philadelphia will host the 2016 Democratic National
Convention during July of 2016, which will significantly increase congestion, movement, and
the need for safe transportation. It is imperative that Philadelphia and other cities around the
country are able to communicate and respond adequately in the event of an emergency.
By granting the Amtrak Police Department access to public safety frequencies, we ensure better
public safety. First responders of all kinds need access to effective, reliable wireless
communications with other public safety agencies when responding to dangerous situations on
our railways. To this end, public safety radio communications and interoperability are critical to
the safety and well-being of our officers and the public.
I urge the Commission to amend Title 47 of the Code of Federal Regulations in sections 90.20,
90.6 17, and 90.523 to allow Amtrak Police the necessary authority to license and operate on 700,
800, or 900 MHz interoperability frequencies.
Sincerely,
Robert A. Brady
Member of Congress