Grant helps Franklin Park with rail yard monitoring

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Updated: November 1, 2011 11:51PM

Franklin Park police will increase their monitoring of the Canadian Pacific rail yard thanks to a grant that originated with the U.S. Department of Justice.

The police department was awarded $156,056 for equipment, including cameras, license plate recognition software and computer servers as well as training for officers to respond to train yard incidents.

“The majority of responses are worker injuries,” Police Chief Mike Witz said. “In 28 years, we’ve never had a response to a potential act of terrorism.”

The federal Department of Homeland Security, however, is concerned that train yards and water supplies are potentially threatened, Witz said. Thus the grant.

Ed Greenberg, a spokesman for Canadian Pacific, declined to talk about how big or busy the railyard is.

Canadian Pacific has its own police force. Bensenville police, along with the Cook County Sheriff, also monitor parts of the rail yard in their jurisdiction. More than half of the rail yard is located in Franklin Park.

Franklin Park police will soon send out for bid requests. After it buys equipment, it will be reimbursed by the state comptroller’s office.

The grant originated with the Department of Justice, but goes through the Illinois Comptroller’s office. The Illinois Law Enforcement Alarm System — a mutual aid organization for Illinois police departments — helped Franklin Park police apply for the grant.