Remembering 9/11: Washington State Ferries security tightened

For a time this summer, motorists waiting to board state ferries wondered if they would be the next passengers subjected to random searches.

Loud complaints from civil libertarians prompted the Washington State Patrol to halt the searches in late June, but not before passengers noted some of the most evident changes in ferry security since Sept. 11.

Last year’s terrorist attacks have prompted heightened security measures on ferries, creating what one official calls “a new normal” for travelers using Washington State Ferries.

The State Patrol and U.S. Coast Guard have increased their presence aboard ferries to guard against questionable activity, while ferry officials have enhanced their existing emergency procedures.

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The rest of this story appears in the Wednesday Peninsula Daily News. Click on SUBSCRIBE to get the PDN delivered to your home or office.