Transit crime declines in NYC and Minneapolis

Reported crime on Minneapolis Metro Transit fell 17.5 percent year-over-year in the second quarter of 2024, while ridership increased 9 percent, Christopher Carey reports in Cities Today. “Metro Transit's Safety & Security Action Plan — approved by the Met Council in June 2022 — includes more than 40 'action points,'” including a new Transit Rider Investment Program (TRIP) that places agents at stations, “resilience, de-escalation and crisis intervention training” for transit operators, and hiring more staff.

The agency has also contracted with local nonprofits to offer supportive resources to riders. “Last year, agencies contacted about 6,700 people and made about 3,800 referrals, according to Metro Transit.”

In New York City, crime on the subway system fell by 15 percent in June 2024 compared to the same period last year. “The drop in crime is due to the addition of 1,000 police officers to patrol the subway system since February and the introduction of Operation Fare Play in March, which cracked down on passengers who did not pay their fare when entering the system.”