Transit Police Tower

[philipmartin]

This is new to me. Mplewoodian.com quotes Transit as saying "it's just part of routine monitoring of safety down the line. "The police towers are stationed throughout the system in support of NJTPD's crime prevention efforts. We randomly place the towers at different locations." Posted in the Maplewoodian by by Joe Strupp
It's a good idea. Bad guys would never notice it. Watch that overhead wire.

[F40]

They've had one at SEC for some time (upwards to about a year ago). Don't know if it's still there.

[CNJGeep]

There's one in Bordentown, of all places.

[Ken W2KB]

They had one at last year's Bob Dylan concert in Hoboken, and I've seen one a couple of times at Newark Penn.

[Head-end View]

Think anyone's actually inside them or it's just there for deterrent effect. LOL I can remember back in the 1960's when State Police agencies would park a patrol car on a highway shoulder with a fake (mannequin) trooper inside to discourage speeders.

[philipmartin]

I can remember back in the 1960's when State Police agencies would park a patrol car on a highway shoulder with a fake (mannequin) trooper inside to discourage speeders.

I remember seeing a State Police car on the shoulder one time with a trooper in it who looked very much asleep. Mannequin trooper; that would make a news story.

[Zeke]

That contraption looks like one of those creepy War Of the Worlds martian death machines.

[sean3f]

Just be glad they are not taking out the armored personnel carrier with flame thrower option ...

[CentralValleyRail]

They had one at the Jets Game yesterday. Actually it was a NJSP Tower but the point of the story is no was in it before or after the game. Might be used as a decoy. Also the NJSP Tower has CC Cameras on it maybe NJTP has the same.

[glennk419]

Well, they're air conditioned so they're obviously designed to be manned. It also looks like whomever is inside must board at ground level and then take the ride up to elevated height as there are no steps or ladders.

If they simply wanted remote CCTV coverage, a simple pole / antenna apparatus would be much cheaper.

[hazmatmess]

They are manned most of the time. When I used to work in Bed-Stuy, I was sometimes asked if I knew what they were (when they first came out), I would tell people that they are sniper towers and if a crime is committed, a police sniper would take out the perp. Never did get a good reaction from people but boy was it funny.