Metro Transit police chief: ‘Transit is a small window of the larger societal issues in Minnesota’

It’s been a tough time for public transportation. 

Passengers are slowly coming back to Metro Transit buses and light rail trains after a steep drop during the COVID-19 pandemic. But the average number of riders is still just over half of what it was in 2019, according to Metro Transit. 

Safety remains a top concern, as passengers in the Twin Cities say it’s not unusual to see people openly using drugs or smoking on the trains.  

Riders and transit staff have been harassed and even assaulted. Reported crimes were up by 32 percent compared to 2022. 

After acknowledging how problematic those issues could be for ridership and community safety, Metro Transit Police Chief Ernest Morales III talked with MPR News host Angela Davis about the “multi-layered public safety response” Metro Transit has implemented.

The plan included hiring supplemental security and enhancing their presence in the most problematic areas. Which led to crime to drop down 25 percent from quarter one to quarter four in 2023, according to Metro Transit. 

“I want everybody who’s listening to realize that transit is a small window of the larger societal issues that we are experiencing here in the state of Minnesota and across this country,” Morales said.  

“We know that human presence is absolutely important, and curtailing the negative behaviors that we see throughout the system,” he added. 

Lesley Kandaras, Metro Transit’s general manager, told Davis that the Transit Service Intervention Project, part of the transportation bill passed last year, allowed them to partner and contract with 10 community-based organizations that interact with riders and provide service connections. Kandaras says that has bolstered the work of their Homeless Action Team, which since 2018 has worked to serve people experiencing homelessness.  

“And then the other provision in last year’s transportation omnibus was the Transit Rider Investment Program, which is abbreviated TRIP — much easier to say trip. And part of what that’s allowed us to do is change our approach to fare noncompliance,” she said. 

Kandaras explained Metro Transit can have non-sworn civilian employees, called community service officers, doing routine fare inspections. It takes the pressure off the sworn officers, letting them focus on more serious public safety issues. 

“We have this new group of people who are out interacting with customers, not only inspecting fares, but also providing other assistance, helping them navigate the system answering questions and just hopefully providing a better customer experience all around,” she added.  

This has helped in a time when Metro Transit has 37 percent fewer full-time officers than needed, Morales said.

Morales said the Blue Line, once considered the more problematic of the two lines, has improved thanks to the plan, but now concerns have grown over the Green Line.  

For 2024, the two Metro Transit leaders say they are now focusing on combating the alarming public safety issues of the Green Line — which connects downtown Minneapolis, the University of Minnesota and downtown St. Paul.

Earlier this year, a man died of a drug overdose on a Green Line light rail train. He had been found unresponsive when the train pulled into the stop late at night in front of the state Capitol. 

In February, a man was shot during a robbery on a light rail in St. Paul and in early March, a rider was treated for injuries after being stabbed on a light rail train.

“I want to once again, remind everyone that the Blue Line was the Green Line last year,” Morales said. “We’re going to start implementing the same strategies on the Green Line this year,” he added. 

Kandaras said Metro Transit is working on building stronger relationships with state, county and local entities that also play a role in helping get to the underlying issues that show up on transit these days. 

Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation and learn more about Metro Transit and its role in public safety.

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