Council Committee told Metro Transit will not renew security contract

February 23, 2010

Summary

Metro details additional security changes in wake of Transit Tunnel assault

Story

Metro Transit officials today told the Metropolitan King County Council’s Environment and Transportation Committee that the agency is transitioning to a new private security contract inside the Downtown Seattle Transit Tunnel.

“It’s important that we take action to stop violence against Metro passengers and drivers, sending a message to the public that violence won’t be tolerated and they can feel safe riding our system,” said Councilmember Larry Phillips, Chair of the Environment and Transportation Committee. “I am pleased with the swift action Metro has taken, as well as the cooperation offered by the city of Seattle, and want us to continue improving the safety of our system.”

“Security throughout our transit system is imperative to a quality rider experience,” said King County Council Vice Chair Jane Hague. “By adding armed Sheriff’s deputies and Seattle Police officers, we are reassuring the public that the transit tunnels are safe and the actions at the Westlake Station will not be tolerated.”

In response to the assault in the Transit Tunnel, Councilmember Phillips called on Metro General Manager Kevin Desmond and Metro Transit Police Chief Dave Jutilla to brief the committee about security measures for keeping passengers and transit operators safe.

Since the January 28 incident in the Westlake Station, Transit Police have made five arrests. Additionally, Transit Police have established a law enforcement presence at each station and are coordinating with the Seattle Police Department, which is providing increased police presence near the Third Avenue bus stops and tunnel entrances. The private security company currently under contract is providing additional training and revising instructions for security guards in the tunnel.

Major Jutilla informed the committee that since the transit tunnel reopened in 2007, Metro has been supplementing its 68 Transit Police officers with private security. In January, private security guards made over 30,000 customer contacts in the tunnel, with 90 percent of those contacts providing customer assistance and 3 percent responding to customer behavior.

Metro Transit Police made an average of 275 arrests and issued an average of 130 suspensions per month in 2009. Suspensions prohibit a person from using the transit system for a specified amount of time and violating a suspension can result in a trespassing charge. In 2009, over 50,000 riders used the tunnel each weekday, and 19 crimes against persons—including 4 aggravated assaults—were reported and investigated by Transit Police, resulting in 6 arrests.

Councilmember Phillips also asked about how Metro can improve security for Metro operators and passengers system-wide in response to a passenger assault last month that resulted in serious injury to a transit operator on duty. Major Jutilla reported that operator assaults are given high priority for transit police resources and that Metro reported an average of 15 operator assaults—ranging from spitting to any unwanted contact per month in 2009. Of those assaults, less than two per month were serious assaults on operators.

Kevin Desmond said Metro continuously works with operators on training and policy changes to increase operator security. Per a request made by the Council in the 2010 budget, Metro is reviewing its fare policy and will be looking for opportunities to reduce rider-driver conflicts. At transit operators’ request, Metro is also looking at the possibility of installing barriers on coaches to protect operators and will be undertaking a demonstration project of the effectiveness of such measures.