Metro Transit Police Force Called 'Woefully Inadequate'

WASHINGTON -- The Metro system is generally ranked as one of the safest when it comes to crime, but that doesn't necessarily mean there are enough Metro Transit Police.

A 2007 budget report shows there are 422 sworn Transit Police officers.

But when the length of shifts, sick time, training, holidays and vacations are factored in, "that equals about 76 officers available for any given shift," Metro Riders Advisory Council Chairman Michael Snyder says.

"That is woefully inadequate when you consider we have 86 Metro stations and hundreds of buses on the roads," Snyder says. "Metro's ability to respond is definitely slowed down by the fact that, where are you going to be able to find an officer and how close are they going to be to a situation."

On July 24, Transit Police responded to an incident on an outbound Red Line train to Shady Grove where a female passenger was assaulting other passengers. But by the time police arrived at the Shady Grove station, the unruly passenger was gone.

Placing more officers on the job would cost a lot more at a time when the transit agency is trying to save every penny possible.

"Safety is something you can pay for as much as you want, but that doesn't necessarily mean we can put a cop on every corner," says Metro Board member Chris Zimmerman, who represents Arlington. "There are always questions about what is the right level [of police]."

Transit Police do have partnerships with local police departments. But as far as the actual police unit inside the system itself, some like Snyder aren't convinced it's enough.

"Folks that are dedicated specifically to transit, are definitely understaffed," Snyder says.

(Copyright 2007 by WTOP. All Rights Reserved.)