New Contract Security Firm Starts at Metro Transit on April 1
Date Posted: February 18, 2020
Posted In: News, Organizations,
From Citizens for Modern Transit: Contract security guard services will be provided on the Metro Transit system by a new company beginning on April 1. Global security firm G4S Secure Solutions competed for and was awarded the contract which was approved by the Bi-State Development Board of Commissioners in December 2019. Bi-State Development operates the Metro Transit system in eastern Missouri and southwestern Illinois.
Metro Transit is working with G4S to implement a mobile deployment strategy that more adequately reflects the travel of its transit customers. It was announced initially that G4S would start on February 1. That date was adjusted to April 1 to allow for a more reasonable time frame for the hiring, background checks and the training of G4S security guards who will be assigned to the Metro Transit system.
“Our transit riders are constantly moving around the region and we want our contract security team to reflect the same mobility when they are on the Metro Transit system,” said Stephen Berry, General Manager of Public Safety at Metro Transit. “We want to make sure the transition to the new contracted security guard team is as professional and seamless as possible.”
When G4S security guards show up for work on April 1 on their first day on the Metro Transit system, transit riders will immediately notice they will be wearing new highly visible uniforms. Customers are already seeing some Metro Transit team members wearing new highly visible uniforms. Former Metro Transit Public Safety Officers who are now called Transit Security Specialists started wearing those uniforms on the system on January 20.