Capital Metro has rebranded its Metro Security vehicles to more closely resemble the Austin Police Department’s fleet of black and white patrol cars. The vehicles were presented to the agency’s board of directors at its April 24 meeting.
“The black and white Metro Security vehicles act as a force multiplier for the Austin Police Department, because they’re more easily identifiable to the public as a police vehicle,” said John Jones, interim director of security for Capital Metro. “They better align our officers with APD’s force and increase the safety of our riders and everyone who interacts with our services.”
Capital Metro first hired four off-duty APD officers for its security department in 1988. Today, 160 off-duty APD officers serve as part-time Capital Metro employees. This makes Capital Metro the largest employer of off-duty police officers in the region.
The Metro Security officers work more than 45,000 hours each year and provide 24-hours-a-day coverage of Capital Metro’s 535-square-mile service area, as well as the 132-mile rail corridor, from Llano to Giddings. The officers respond to service calls on buses, trains and paratransit vehicles, in addition to seven Park & Rides and nine rail platforms.
Capital Metro’s security officers help reduce the agency’s response times to service calls. In addition, the officers support and enhance Capital Metro’s interactions with other law enforcement agencies, including federal agencies like the Department of Homeland Security, Transportation Security Administration and the Federal Transit Administration.
