urbanMSP

Police Working To Make Lake Street Station Safer

Look like there is a problem with crime at the Lake Street Station.

Some of the stuff in that story is pretty messed up. When I use the Hiawatha line it's usually from the Franklin Station, which isn't exactly in the nicest part of town either, but regardless I've never really felt uncomfortable or seen somebody getting beat up or anything.

I've never had any problems on the light rail. All of the misconduct I've seen were on various bus routes, with a good amount of those on the 5 line.

Look like there is a problem with crime at the Lake Street Station.

The only thing surprising here, is that people are surprised.

Installing more/better cameras won't do anything. In 1999 they built Rush City, there's hi-def cameras covering every angle.
You can literally zoom in on an inmates newspaper and read it.
It's the most violent of all Minnesota's prisons, they have no issue punching each other, or staff in focus of multiple cameras- eventhough they get a nice year long vacation in the super-max section.

Installing more/better cameras won't do anything. In 1999 they built Rush City, there's hi-def cameras covering every angle.
You can literally zoom in on an inmates newspaper and read it.
It's the most violent of all Minnesota's prisons, they have no issue punching each other, or staff in focus of multiple cameras- eventhough they get a nice year long vacation in the super-max section.

If camera's aren't a deterrent, that would seem to indicate that if we're to have them at all, they ought to be high def to at least be useful in prosecution of specific offenders.

A busy transit stop, safer by the numbers
Article by: BRIAN J. LAMB is general manager of Metro Transit

Sure.

Whether they're found or not won't have any bearing on that shank sticking out of you back, not to be graphic ...

Officer presence is best- crime still occurs- Couldn't tell you how many guys started fights with officers nearly, or sometime literally right in between.

Best because officers stop the mope before they stick too many holes in the person.

240 robberies or assaults a year is more than 1 every couple of days. Given how often I rode the lighrail and boarded or got off at that station, it surprises me that I never experienced or witnessed anything like that.

Thoughts on the classical music bit: they do the same thing at the Ancient Traders' Market at Franklin and 11th Ave. Not just classical-- jazz and world music, too. I had heard that that was to deter crime, but never saw the hard data either. Didn't seem to be any incidents there that I recall in two years living there, although there was plenty in the surrounding neighborhood. Of course, the fact that MPD had a small office in there too might have helped....

Personally I don't think you can use anything that happens in a prison as a precedent for what happens outside of prison.

Same people

Warm weather creates more opportunities for crime as people venture outdoors more. Of course once fall starts to set in and the temperature turns cold the crimes will fall and suddenly Metro Transit/MPD (and whoever is involved) will be patting themselves on the back and claiming there efforts were successful!

When I moved downtown several years ago I figured out that Lake Street (around that area) is not a safe place to be after dark. Rent prices are cheap, community is poor and uneducated, ect ect. Sure some people will disagree and consider it a great community, however it's the community around the station that is the problem not the quality of cameras at the station! Also does anybody else find it ODD that the Department of Homeland Security was going to be involved?

Oh and guess we know how to "scientifically" test a community to determine it's safety by playing classical music! If they stay and enjoy the free songs then your good! If they scatter GET THE HELL OUT OF DODGE!

by Lancestar2
Also does anybody else find it ODD that the Department of Homeland Security was going to be involved?

The Homeland Security was most likely taking part in Operational Rail Safe. This is when police agencies ride the train and go to rail stations several time a year. The program started in New York and has expanded nation wide.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nn6smWxeT6g[/youtube]

Some local station actually had a video of some DHS Police on the platforms -- I think it was KMSP, but I can't find it now. The idea of yet another police force with overlapping jurisdiction creeps me out, especially when the Department of Homeland Security name is attached (the DHS in general creeps me out since it's so massive, plus that whole "Homeland" word...).

Something I read implied that the DHS Police were essentially escorted by Metro Transit Police during these exercises, but I imagine they might be able to swoop in at any time if they really wanted to. The Feds sometimes get chastised by other police forces with more specific jurisdiction, though -- I know the TSA went into some Amtrak stations a few years back and started trying to check passengers, which didn't really go over well with Amtrak's own police department.

Of course, I also find it a bit weird that the major railroads also have their own police forces: BNSF, Canadian Pacific, Union Pacific, etc. And Amtrak, like I mentioned. That tends to creep me out too, though I suppose there is a good reason to have officers with specific knowledge of laws related to the rail network.

But bouncing back to DHS Police -- what's their speciality supposed to be? What can they do better than anyone else?

But bouncing back to DHS Police -- what's their speciality supposed to be? What can they do better than anyone else?

Encroach on the 4th amendment?

Same people

Different environment

I'm guessing the same reason each railroad has their own police is the same reason Metro Transit has their own police force, is that local police never gave transit issues a priority, and also I think there was problems with crossing jurisdictions.

Zombie Fight

All I have to say, why didn't she not call 911?

Wrestler Saves the Day
Professional wrestler,Shawn Daivari put a choke hold on a unruly passenger.

Did anyone in MSP see the Cleveland RTA driver who beat the hell out of a WOMAN!

http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ss ... _to_b.html

From every account I heard though, she started everything and had it coming (supposedly). Throwing hot coffee in a big dude's face after jumping on his bus with no intent on paying your fare may result in something similar!

I really want to be a bus driver.

Zombie Fight

All I have to say, why didn't she not call 911?

Good to see KSTP right on top of this. Who'd imagine that a bunch of raging drunk zombies would get into a fight? Clearly the fault of LRT.