Opinion: Metro Making Progress Toward Enhanced Safety
Date Posted: August 11, 2020
Posted In: Organizations,
From The Telegraph:
by Taulby Roach, President and Chief Executive Officer, Bi-State Development
Improving security on the Metro Transit system is a top priority for me, the team at Metro Transit, Bi-State Development, our regional elected officials and our law enforcement partners. I am happy to report that progress is being made toward creating the safer transit environment we and our customers demand.
The steps being taken are outlined in a Comprehensive Metro Security Strategy agreed to by regional leadership, police partners and Metro, and unanimously approved by the Bi-State Development Board of Commissioners. All of the recommended actions fall into six categories, and our progress is tracked every quarter by a third party through a Metro Security Scorecard. The most recent score card from Quarter 2 indicates we have made significant progress in all six categories.
The presence of people in public spaces can be a deterrent to criminal activity, therefore, more people riding Metro Transit can help make the system safer, and any effort to encourage ridership on the Metro system enhances the region’s overall security strategy. It is important to keep in mind that we experience very few serious incidents on the system, especially when compared to the number of riders (in the millions) we move safely every day, as well as in comparison to some of the crime statistics in the municipalities we serve. In most situations, de-escalation and active engagement are successful tactics utilized in our approach.
The fact is, Metro is part of the communities we serve. Our team members, police partners and contractors live and raise families in many neighborhoods throughout St. Louis County, St. Louis City, and St. Clair County in Illinois. We are grateful to these individuals because they are your family members, neighbors, and friends who are helping to improve our transit experience.