400 men police force in the underground in Algiers.

Launching Algiers metro last November 1st was only the apparent part of an iceberg called a modern means of transport for Algerians. The other important and subversive part of the whole story was that of preparing side effects that would enable Algiers metro be a secured place for passengers. .The 400 men Metro Police has started its training and preparations for the opening day in 2008. The policemen are of different grades and went on training sessions led by high ranking officers from both the General Command of the National Security and the Ministry of Transport. Some of hem had even gone on training abroad. The number of this body is likely to increase with the widening the metro itself will witness. The 10 policemen per station security coverage is among the highest percentage of underground police coverage in the world. “.The presence of policemen starts at the entrance of the underground and in the station. In this regard, the deputy chief of this police section said ‘’Our presence is aimed at preventing delequents from trying to perpetrate any act of violence’’Presence of bomb disposal experts and police dogsThe Sniffer dog patrol is also used in the newly inaugurated Algiers underground. Touring the metro station we saw some policemen checking some people. The station brigade also uses an anti-bomb detecting system which works in close collaboration with bomb disposal experts in a step aiming at preventing the underground from being targeted by terror attacks.Smile, CCTV is there for you…We checked on sport that in each station there is a police station. In addition, the CCTV is everywhere covering the whole stations’ areas, a good weapon in the hands of the brigades to face-up on sport threats or suspicious movements. Other materials also include digital radio systems easing the communication between members of the police in the underground. The police used Taser Guns as well in order to control suspected people. ‘’The look of the Taser Gun can prevent criminal acts from happening even because of fear’’ said the deputy chief of the underground police to Echorouk.Guns and security were not the only field policemen were trained on for the underground tasks. The safety part of it was also subject of a training they had. They learnt how to be proactive and active in cases including floods, blazes and other natural disasters. “.Ununiformed policemen are also present in Algiers underground stations and commuters ‘’the presence of uniformed police members is preventive while ununiformed ones presence is responsive’’ said the police representative to Echorouk.It is worth recalling that since the opening of the underground, no acts of violence has been recorded, which is good for passengers who feel it more comfortable to get in the commuters now.