Metro Transit adding cameras with real-time video, additional staff to address rider safety concerns
Metro Transit officials give updates on their plan to address rider safety concerns.
(FOX 9) - Officials with the Metropolitan Council and Metro Transit gave an update Wednesday on their plans to address growing concerns of safety on the Twin Cities transit system.
Over the past few weeks, there have been several high-profile criminal incidents on Metro Transit buses and trains, including last week's deadly shooting on a Metro Transit bus in Minneapolis. Those incidents, along with nuisance behavior such as smoking on trains and other offenses, continues to raise concerns among riders, according to a news release.
Metro Transit adding cameras with real-time video, additional staff to address rider safety concerns
Officials with the Metropolitan Council and Metro Transit gave an update Wednesday on their plans to address growing concerns of safety on the Twin Cities transit system.
During a press conference in St. Paul, Metropolitan Council Chair Charlie Zelle highlighted the ways officials hope to improve safety on bus and light rail lines.
Metro Transit officials say they stepped up safety efforts on buses and trains over the past year, with officers working more than 10,000 additional hours to increase their presence on trains and buses.
In 2020, Metro Transit has already begun taking new measures to enhance passenger safety, saying they are expanding "eyes and ears" on the system. This includes purchasing and installing new cameras on all 90 light rail cars. The new cameras have real-time video that will allow police to respond to events as they are happening.
Metro Transit is also doubling staff for the "text for safety" program, authorizing more Metro Transit police details of plainclothes officers and requiring Metro Transit Police to work mandatory additional hours each week.
“Transit is a place where people gather, where communities come together,” Zelle said the release. “What’s happening on transit reflects what’s happening in our neighborhoods and cities. Inappropriate and criminal behavior on the streets translates into bad behavior on our transit system. The issues are bigger than transit, and they deserve the attention of us all.”
Met Council and transit officials are looking to lawmakers to pass legislation that would decriminalize fare evasion and create a transit ambassor program. The proposed bill would start the program with 35 ambassadors and eventually add up to 90 full-time staff.
The council is also offering additional hours to any part- or full-time officers willing to work more, with a total authorization of more than 20,000 hours or $1.8M in 2020.