The Transportation Security Administration will be joining forces with state and local police to boost security efforts at Metro-North stations.

The Metro Transportation Authority's (MTA) new security initiative means more police patrols on station platforms, parking lots and aboard trains. MTA officials say while MTA officers, federal marshals and state police will provide extra security on board the trains, including conducting random bag searches, local law enforcement will patrol the stations and platforms.

MTA?s Executive Director Elliot G. Sander says the combined police efforts will ?give our commuter railroads the kind of police presence our customers deserve and the post-9/11 environment requires." MTA officials say the plan is not in response to a specific terrorist threat.