King County Metro Transit is using new measures to increase safety and security on its system.
Earlier this year, the agency introduced its Safety, Security and Fare Enforcement (SaFE) initiative to reimagine safety and security by reforming and restructuring security and fare enforcement policies and practices. As part of that work, more than 5,600 people participated in the survey in July 2021 and shared what is needed to make them feel safe while traveling, at transit stops and at other King County Metro facilities.
King County Metro staff and community members who are serving on an initiative equity team are carefully reviewing all feedback and recommendations that were provided by the many respondents. The agency says it will soon publish the findings and takeaways and will use them to invite riders to help develop recommendations for providing a safer and more equitable transit experience.
Through the survey and many other channels, riders shared what they love about King County Metro and also what needs to improve when it comes to safety.
“At Metro, we acknowledge the historic negative relationship of law enforcement with many of our Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) community members and we are committed to centering equity, public safety and the voices of those most impacted by systemic racism in all of our work,” said King County Metro General Manager Terry White. “Today, I’m pleased to share several next steps that will be implemented during the weeks and months ahead. These immediate and temporary updates will take place over the next 12 months in parallel with, and helping to inform, the longer-term changes that will be guided by the SaFE initiative.”
The implementation plan for these new measures is currently being developed and launch is slated for fall 2021. That plan will ensure that fair, just and unbiased deployment and presence practices are in place so that King County Metro can increase safety and not perpetuate inequities. For this reason, King County Metro says it will measure and track who is impacted by these practices and how.
King County Metro will be adding 36 new transit security officers (TSOs) for on-coach deployment. These staff members will serve to increase security presence during all hours of operation, including Night Owl bus service (midnight to 5:00 a.m.). These additional resources will be deployed on routes not covered by current security teams.
Six additional transit security officers will be part of a 12-month pilot program to improve response times when King County Metro’s first-line supervisors request support.
Twelve additional transit security officers will be part of a different 12-month pilot program at Aurora Village Transit Center and at Burien Transit Center. In addition to other duties, these staff members will provide support to bus operators using these transit centers.
