urbanMSP

Our leaders — who employ teams of problem-solvers with half-million-dollar advanced educations — are at a complete loss as to how to deal with people breaking the law in plain sight, in government-owned enclosed spaces covered in cameras, which travel on fixed routes at regular times between stations that are also government-owned and covered in cameras. And you're not going to believe this, but the government body that owns both the trains and the stations also happens to have its own police force.

When I meet people on the street I always tell them how we knew Nick back when he was still just elfangor.

Met Council has announced Ernest Morales III as the new Metro Transit Police Chief.

https://metrocouncil.org/News-Events/Tr ... -2023.aspx

https://www.startribune.com/make-transi ... 600256980/

Well this is just ridiculous, lol.

Also could an admin rename this thread "Transit Safety & Crime" I feel that would better encompass what is talked about in here.

https://www.startribune.com/make-transi ... 600256980/

Well this is just ridiculous, lol.

Also could an admin rename this thread "Transit Safety & Crime" I feel that would better encompass what is talked about in here.

As soon as I saw who wrote that I clicked out of it.

As soon as I saw who wrote that I clicked out of it.

Magrino again?

lol

Fun fact: I had Bob “Again” Carney, Jr. as a substitute teacher in high school.

Allied Universal to be awarded the contract for supplemental security services. In addition to Franklin Ave and Lake Street/Midtown LRT stations, Brooklyn Center TC, Central Station/VCB, Uptown TC, and Chicago-Lake TC will be covered. Additional locations may be added in the future.

https://metrocouncil.org/Council-Meetin ... 66-SW.aspx

1 arrested after reported robbery on light rail train;

https://kstp.com/kstp-news/local-news/1 ... ail-train/

Nothing against Allied Universal but doesn't Metro Transit PD have community service officers? why can't they work security at these locations?

From what I understand the idea is that it's a lower cost way to show presence. There's a likely also an element of temporariness - when MT no longer needs them they can end the contract.

From what I understand the idea is that it's a lower cost way to show presence. There's a likely also an element of temporariness - when MT no longer needs them they can end the contract.

Having a security presence definitely makes a difference in my experience.

https://www.southwestvoices.news/posts/ ... e-thursday

Allied Universal doesn't seem to have a good track record in patrolling transit. I'm guessing since this is a one year contract (with a second year option). That this is a stop gap until the legislature allows Metro Transit to hire transit ambassadors. Doing nothing isn't an option. And I appreciate that they didn't just default to hiring more cops (that would be a battle to reduce later once transit ambassadors are allowed).

I just wish that they allowed the contract to be broken up into smaller ones to allow more local companies to bid and there were steps for accountability and oversight. The security company that has been assigned to Franklin Ave said they couldn't bid because it was too big of a contract.

Strib also on it.

https://www.startribune.com/metro-trans ... 600259102/

My son commutes to the U from Hopkins and transfers at Uptown. His review: “this sucks now because all the people I most want to avoid are now standing around outside with me trying to talk at me and I have nowhere to avoid them”.

Here in Chicago, the CTA is paying $31 million for security on trains. So far, it’s pretty universally regarded as a failure. They usually just sit around chatting or looking at their phones. One time I was riding a train with guards sitting across from me and a man lit up a cigarette. I had to point this out to them, to which they nonchalantly shouted no smoking. There was even a video recently of a guard smoking on a platform. It’s pretty clear that the guards either cannot or do not want to do much and the wrongdoers know this. Hopefully it goes better in Minneapolis, but I wouldn’t expect much to change.

Here in Chicago, the CTA is paying $31 million for security on trains. So far, it’s pretty universally regarded as a failure. They usually just sit around chatting or looking at their phones. One time I was riding a train with guards sitting across from me and a man lit up a cigarette. I had to point this out to them, to which they nonchalantly shouted no smoking. There was even a video recently of a guard smoking on a platform. It’s pretty clear that the guards either cannot or do not want to do much and the wrongdoers know this. Hopefully it goes better in Minneapolis, but I wouldn’t expect much to change.

For the record the MetCouncil's contract is $3 million a year for one year, with a second year option depending on how the pilot program works.

LA’s transit trains have also dropped ridership in huge numbers due to open drug use. https://news.yahoo.com/l-riders-bail-me ... 07450.html

Hard to be shocked lately but that story was wild—22 people dead on just the LA Metro since the beginning of the year following the effective legalization of fentanyl by people who got a 33 on the ACT. “We should try public art.” Thanks, Hilda!

They even seem to be already employing the kinds of helpers we want to start using.

Maybe there is going to be a substantive difference in scope or duties. But it was depressing.

"There's so many 'sleepers,' " the train driver said. "Nobody notices that the guy quit breathing until they're blue. And then by that time, it's too late."