Metro Transit expanding official presence on light rail

Police officers, CSOs, TRIP Agents, security officers coordinating to be highly visible on light rail during peak travel times, at end of service

As part of the ongoing effort to provide a consistently safe, clean, and welcoming experience on transit, Metro Transit leadership today announced there will be an even more visible and coordinated official presence on light rail vehicles and stations going into the winter months.

Through a coordinated effort, Metro Transit police officers and Community Service Officers, Transit Riders Investment Program (TRIP) Agents, and supplemental security officers will be highly visible during peak travel times and near the end of service. Increasing layers of official presence is one of 40-plus actions identified in Metro Transit's Safety & Security Action Plan.

"Nothing is more important to us than providing a consistently safe, clean, and welcoming experience on transit," said Metro Transit General Manager Lesley Kandaras. "Our customers have told us they feel safer when we are highly visible, so we are working hard to coordinate and expand all our layers of official presence this winter and beyond."

With 116 police officers and 26 Community Service Officers (CSOs), the Metro Transit Police Department is at its highest staffing level since 2021. Metro Transit will end the year with around 100 TRIP Agents; more than 200 supplemental security officers are being trained to provide coverage at high-traffic locations.

Serious crime is down 21 percent systemwide. Meanwhile, officer-initiated calls for service, a measure of how active police officers are on the system, are up 129 percent compared to last year.

"We've improved public safety on our system, but our job is not done until every rider feels safe on every trip," said Metro Transit Police Department Interim Chief Joseph Dotseth. "We look forward to building on this momentum by working collaboratively with all those focused on providing a safe, clean, and welcoming experience for our riders."

Supplemental security expanding in December

To supplement onboard presence from police officers, CSOs and TRIP Agents, Metro Transit has contracted with Inter-Con Security to have security officers stationed at 15 busy boarding locations for up to 24 hours a day. Security officers are currently at nine locations.

Security officers serve as eyes and ears on the system, discouraging behavior like smoking and contacting police when there is criminal activity.

Locations where security will be added include the METRO Green Line's Snelling Avenue Station and the Blue Line's Warehouse District and Nicollet Mall stations. The new supplemental security contract will take effect on Nov. 30, 2025.

Proposed budget increases focus on safety and security

Looking forward to 2026, Metro Transit's proposed budget provides funding to continue hiring police officers, CSOs, and TRIP Agents, as well as maintenance staff focused on cleaning and repair.

A campaign focused on attracting more police officers will launch this fall. A program that provides CSOs tuition assistance as they pursue law enforcement degrees will also continue. TRIP Agents will be hired throughout 2026, allowing them to be more present on light rail and bus rapid transit lines.

Adam Duininck, president and CEO of the Downtown Council, said the continued focus on expanding transit options and improving the rider experience is an important part of the larger effort to make downtown Minneapolis an attractive place to live, work, and play.

"A safe, reliable, and robust transit system is integral to downtown Minneapolis," Duininck said. "We are excited to continue partnering with and supporting Metro Transit as we all work together to make downtown an even more attractive destination for workers, residents, and eventgoers."

For more information about career opportunities visit metrotransit.org/careers.

About the Safety & Security Action Plan

Metro Transit's Safety & Security Action Plan was endorsed by the Metropolitan Council in 2022. The plan outlines more than 40 actions focused on improving conditions on the system, training and supporting employees, and engaging customers and partners. Updates on the plan are provided quarterly.

Contact: Jeremy Zoss, 763-264-9913, [email protected]