Metro Transit's Homeless Action Team working to make buses, light rail safer
MINNEAPOLIS – Metro Transit is putting in the work to make its buses and light rail trains safer.
The police department's Homeless Action Team partnered Monday with community group, A Mother's Love, to do outreach at the Brooklyn Center Transit Center.
MORE: Metro Transit PD chief helps woman struggling with mental health issues while WCCO camera rolls
It's one of several similar details in recent weeks meant to connect people in need with the right resources.
"We go approach them and ask them how we can help," said Sgt. Bev Rodriguez with Metro Transit Police, who oversees the Homeless Action Team. "Our success rate is more [about] housing since we provide our own voucher program. We've housed over 350 individuals."
A Mother's Love aims to connect with anyone at a bus station who may need help.
"We definitely see people that have mental health issues, but we see some of the people meeting [at the transit center] to fight. And so being able to engage those young ladies and young men to kind of keep the violence down," said Nene Hollie, a member of the group.
MORE: Metro Transit turns to new tool to help monitor crime as number of officers is down
In the six months from last September to March, there were 150 calls for police service to the Brooklyn Center Transit Center. Twenty four of those were for fights, assaults, drugs and disorderly conduct.
Michael Wollin, a bus driver, says he feels mostly safe, but hasn't always.
"I've worked here for 3.5 years," Wollin said. "I've seen a lot. I've been threatened. I've had my life threatened."
Metro Transit Police Chief Ernest Morales III says the buses, like the trains, are a work in progress.
"As a deterrent, [drivers] have a plexiglass shield that keeps them enclosed," Morales said. "Ideally, I would like to get officers on every line when I can to address those issues."
The Homeless Action Team includes four officers, down from eight when the team started. Sgt. Rodriguez says she's working with Chief Morales to improve staffing.
MORE: WCCO cameras capture flagrant drug use on Metro Transit light rail trains