Security exercise on the Elizabeth River

Hampton Roads Transit began a security exercise on the Elizabeth River ferries late Friday involving the Department of Homeland Security, the Transportation Security Administration, local law enforcement and HRT special police.

The operation began at 7 p.m. and involves the deployment of United States Coast Guard patrol boats, bomb-sniffing dogs, and police officers in tactical uniforms. It will end at 10 p.m.

Friday’s program is known to law enforcement as a Visible Intermodal Prevention and Response program, or a VIPR drill. VIPR teams are designed to enhance local law enforcement presence at events that have the potential to draw large crowds into the transportation system. They also can provide detection and response capabilities, and expand the unpredictability of security measures to detect, disrupt or defeat potential criminal or terrorist operations.

The ferries will operate as they normally do.

For more information on HRT services, visit www.gohrt.com