PB Sheriff’s Rail Enforcement Detail Yields 55 Warnings, 11 Arrests, 1 Life Saved

Image from Wikimedia

The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office provided safety contact warnings to 55 people and arrested 11 others during a week-long enforcement detail along railroad tracks in the city of Lake Worth last week. Deputies also saved the life of a person who was threatening to throw themselves onto the tracks.

PBSO said the department carried out the detail during Rail Safety Week, with the primary goal of educating those around railroad tracks about safety hazards and the proper ways to navigate the area as a pedestrian. The safety program has been practiced in several cities lately, with Lake Worth being the latest to participate. Law enforcement officers partnered with Brightline, Florida East Coast Rail, Tri-Rail and Amtrak from Sept. 23-26, 2024.

Deputies made contact with 55 people who were given safety tips and warnings to avoid dangerous situations in the future, while 11 people were arrested for trespassing on the tracks.

In addition, deputies responded to a 911 hang-up call on Sept. 28, 2024, regarding a mentally disturbed person expressing intent to end their life by stepping in front of a train. Deputies successfully made contact with the individual and took the person to a receiving facility for a mental health evaluation under the Baker Act law, the statement said.

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