Crime on public transport has increased but is declining in 2024

Likewise, a program to send community service officers — police officers who study law enforcement — has funding for 70 officers this year, but only 15 are currently on board. These officers are intended to support the full-time police and provide additional security on public transport.

Dotseth said the proposed 2025 budget calls for a more realistic goal of 55 community service officers.

Part of that focus is hiring Transit Rider Investment Program (TRIP) agents to audit fares and ensure a consistent presence on public transit.

Metro Transit hired 13 employees in the third quarter to fill 22 positions. To bolster their ranks, an additional 25 TRIP agents were hired from an outside security firm. However, the overall goal is to have up to 100 TRIP agents by the end of 2025.

The agents “really made a big difference,” said Leah Palmer, manager of Metro Transit’s TRIP program. Adding 100 TRIP agents to the ranks “sounds like a wild number, but we’re already at 20%,” she said. The jobs, with a starting salary of $28.55 an hour and benefits, have attracted a lot of interest and applicants, she said.