A New View of Metro Public Safety

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As Metro’s new public safety staff continues to make improvements, the team under the leadership of Metro Transit General Manager of Public Safety Kevin Scott wants to provide a firsthand look at the newly instituted practices and protocols.   The Ride Along with Metro Public Safety Program will initially be instituted with opportunities for Bi-State Development Commissioners, elected officials, and stakeholders and then will eventually be opened up to the interested citizens and riders.

The four-hour session will provide opportunities for round table discussions with inhouse and contract security; overview of operations and equipment; and then a ride along on MetroLink to see the security teams in action.

“The goal of this program is to build confidence in our transit system while educating our stakeholders and customer base about our role and their roles in ensuring the safety and success of the entire transit system in this community,” said Kevin Scott.   “Our job will never be ‘finished,’ but it is imperative that we open up communication channels and work together to ensure success moving forward.”

The new Metro Transit Security staff has been on the job for just shy of one year and has implemented significant changes to safety personnel and protocols including:

  1. New contract security team through a contract with G4S;
  2. Fully executed contracts with law enforcement agencies along the alignment;
  3. Adoption of Ride and Abide Policy;
  4. Disarmed the contract security and inhouse security
  5. Collaboration on deployment schedules with three law enforcement agencies;
  6. New customer-centric focus for security;
  7. Removal of bite dogs as a part the Metro Transit inhouse security;
  8. New ride of code of conduct adopted and published along system;
  9. Body cameras for Metro Transit public safety; and
  10. New high visibility uniforms for the security teams.

“Transit safety and security has been a top priority for Citizens for Modern Transit for the past several years. We are encouraged to see the progress that has been made over the last 10 months under the new leadership at Metro Transit and look forward to continued collaboration including re-instituting the CMT MetroLink Monitor program with a focus on the safety and security at stations and stops,” said Kim Cella, CMT Executive Director.

There are still challenges ahead for Metro Public Safety including:

  1. Continued efforts to move to one radio communications channel for all agencies patrolling the system;
  2. Visibility of officers and security on the system;
  3. Fare enforcement;
  4. Infrastructure changes at stations to assist with safety and security efforts i.e. lighting, access, etc.
  5. Building confidence in the system; and
  6. Increasing ridership on transit in St. Louis.
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