BNSF News

Operation Valley Net Teams DHS with BNSF Resource Protection

2009-12-17

From Dec. 3 to Dec. 6, BNSF Resource Protection conducted the fifth phase of Operation Valley Net, which is focused on reducing burglaries to high-value trains and protecting critical infrastructure.

The focus for this phase of the ongoing operation was on Kern County, Calif., which has been a target of thieves seeking high-dollar items from trains. Ten representatives of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) teamed with four BNSF Resource Protection employees to develop leads and prevent the crimes taking place in the area.

Mark Montgomery, senior special agent, Resource Protection, said, "This was a good team effort with great help from the DHS. We hope to work with them again in future operations."

At the initial briefing, Robert Benson, federal security director (Fresno), and Scott Johnson, BNSF manager, Homeland Security (San Bernardino), briefed the team as the group discussed BNSF operations.

During the operation itself, no losses occurred to BNSF trains in the central/northern California corridor. The Phase V Team developed valuable intelligence on suspects, vehicles, high-risk locations and patterns of activity. As a result, they temporarily ended the burglaries in the Kern County area. The intelligence will be put to use in future phases of the operation.

Most importantly, the activities of Operation Valley Net - Phase V were conducted injury- and accident-free.

About the photo: Operation Valley Net Phase V team members are pictured. Standing from left to right: Carrie Lane, DHS; Jaime Felix, DHS; John Morones, DHS; Basilio Llerenas, DHS; Jarrett Keegan, DHS; Kyle Stalder, DHS; Mark Montgomery, BNSF Resource Protection; Robert Benson, DHS; Barry Smith DHS; Joe Chiasson; BNSF Resource Protection. Kneeling from left to right: Ron Alexander, DHS; Damon Hanson, DHS; Chris Curtin, DHS; and Scott Johnson, BNSF manager, Homeland Security. Not pictured, but also participating, were Mike Warnock and Israel Salazar, also of Resource Protection.

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