St. Louis Metro, St. Clair County Transit District expand law enforcement partnerships to enhance transit safety
The Bi-State Development Agency (St. Louis Metro), in conjunction with the St. Clair County Transit District, has established new partnerships with four law enforcement agencies within St. Clair County, Mo. In addition to the new partners, St. Louis Metro and St. Clair County Transit District updated a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with a long-time law enforcement partner, the St. Clair County Sheriff’s Department. The agreements marks another significant enhancement to security on the MetroLink system.
The new partnerships are with the Fairview Heights Police Department, Belleville Police Department, the Swansea Police Department, and the Shiloh Police Department. The MOUs provide an avenue to attract additional off-duty armed law enforcement officers, on a voluntary overtime basis, to patrol MetroLink platforms and parking lots and ride the train in their jurisdictions in support of the full-time MetroLink Law Enforcement Team.
“Transit riders will benefit from the new law enforcement agreements. They will help improve the transit experience for MetroLink customers, not only residents who ride the train every day in St. Clair County, but also for the passengers who commute from other parts of the region to St. Clair County to work, school and for medical appointments,” said Mark Kern, St. Clair County Board chairman.
“Maintaining public safety and ensuring the security of our riders are top priorities within our collaborative security system. Having law enforcement presence is crucial to this multifaceted structure. The agreements between the St. Clair County Transit District and five law enforcement agencies within the county that border the MetroLink alignment present significant opportunities to expand the voluntary overtime law enforcement presence,” said St. Louis Metro General Manager of Security Kevin Scott.
The newest agreements are expected to increase the professional law enforcement presence on the transit system, bolstering the ongoing regional effort to improve safety and security on MetroLink.
“We are pleased to be part of the expanded law enforcement effort aimed at improving the safety conditions for everyone who rides on the MetroLink system,” said Richard Watson, St. Clair County Sheriff.
“Mass transportation is always more successful when partnering with law enforcement. When people feel safe, they will ride more. Using updated technologies along with uniformed police officer presence sends a strong message,” said Steve Johnson, Fairview Heights chief of police.
The new agreements will provide a wider pool of law enforcement officers and deputies available to voluntarily work as secondary officers, supporting full-time police officers and deputies, as well as Metro Transit Security Specialists and contracted security officers assigned to MetroLink.
“These latest Memorandums of Understanding are not just agreements on paper; they are commitments to enhanced safety on our transit system and the safety of our community,” said Taulby Roach, St. Louis Metro president and CEO. “We are thankful for the commitment of our law enforcement partners and confident that this will lead to a more secure transit experience for our customers."
“As chairman of the Board of Commissioners Safety and Security Committee at Bi-State Development, I'm pleased to have the support of these communities now joining our team to provide security resources for an important regional asset, the MetroLink system,” said Herb Simmons, St. Clair County EMA director.
The St. Clair County Transit District will pay overtime rates for secondary police officers from the participating agencies in further support of the St. Clair County Sheriff’s Department’s full-time MetroLink Team and the Metro Transit Public Safety staff.
St. Louis Metro notes officers participating in this secondary officer pool will be compensated for their time on the transit system during off-duty hours, including any time incurred for warrants, court stand-by or appearances or other related events resulting from an arrest made during the course of their law enforcement activities on the transit system. Secondary officers will not be allowed to work for more than 30 hours per week.
