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Re: Transit Crime
Posted: March 25th, 2019, 10:18 am
by SurlyLHT
What does the forum think about having the transit equivalent of the DID Downtown Mpls helpers on the trains? They can clean up, given directions, and be a set of eyes to work with the transit police? They'll be cheaper than extra officers. Also for high crime areas why don't they just hire security? I lived next to the Lake St Station and the police would sit in a squad under the station or etc.
Re: Transit Crime
Posted: March 25th, 2019, 12:18 pm
by nate
^^^I think highly of this idea.
Re: C Line - Penn Avenue North Rapid Bus
Posted: February 7th, 2020, 10:46 am
by SurlyLHT
Someone was shot on a C-Line bus as it at the station near the Target Center. I've seen other incidents at this stop before. This is one of those unnerving events, it wasn't that late at night and right in front of a lot of people and bus cameras. This doesn't help the perception of transit. Law enforcement needs to also adjust to the new era of gun violence where things are more based off of social media drama and gangs are less organized. A recent Strib article stated that gang members used to have to get permission to shoot someone, now with less hierarchy they dont.
http://www.startribune.com/one-dead-in- ... 567644852/
Re: Transit Crime
Posted: May 6th, 2020, 2:51 pm
by twinkess
https://www.startribune.com/woman-kicke ... 570248562/
Woman kicked in the head by teens at a green line stop in St Paul. Suspects aren't in custody. Lady didn't report the crime, the suspects appear to have posted it to their own social media...
Full video is disturbing.
Re: Transit Crime
Posted: May 6th, 2020, 7:38 pm
by Record Machine
That... was upsetting.
Re: Transit Crime
Posted: May 8th, 2020, 3:26 pm
by John21
https://www.startribune.com/woman-kicke ... 570248562/
Woman kicked in the head by teens at a green line stop in St Paul. Suspects aren't in custody. Lady didn't report the crime, the suspects appear to have posted it to their own social media...
Full video is disturbing.
They got em.
https://www.twincities.com/2020/05/07/3 ... -platform/
Re: Transit Crime
Posted: July 17th, 2020, 7:11 am
by DanPatchToget
Does light rail actually bring crime to an area? Are there any stats that show crime increased in an area after light rail opened?
Re: Transit Crime
Posted: July 20th, 2020, 8:34 am
by EOst
There aren't a lot of data points to look at in the Twin Cities context.
Re: Transit Crime
Posted: July 20th, 2020, 8:49 am
by DanPatchToget
I figured, but of course that won't stop people from claiming light rail brings crime.
You could say it can bring the potential for crime, just like a mall can bring the potential for crime (theft, shoplifting, etc.) and a highway can bring the potential for crime (drunk driving, reckless driving, road rage, etc.).
Re: Transit Crime
Posted: July 20th, 2020, 9:45 am
by SurlyLHT
If you looked at 911 calls you'll probably find more at locations of some LRT stations after they were built. All you have to do is read the headlines or live near the Lake St station or Nicollet or Snelling. They might not be creating new crime, but concentrating it. An LRT station is a better place to steal a phone than a bus stop.
Re: Transit Crime
Posted: July 20th, 2020, 10:04 am
by uptownbro
You are also brining more people into a single area. I would not be surprised if you saw more crime due to a light rail stop being built but much of that could be due to more people coming to and from an area or even just more of it being reported. If im walking on a random street and someone takes my phone I won’t report it to 911 as besides what I give in a description they don’t have anything to work off of. But if it’s taken on the light rail I will as there are cameras and they can see where someone got off.
Re: Transit Crime
Posted: July 20th, 2020, 12:43 pm
by EOst
Anecdotally as well, the light rail is a great place to hang out for bored teens with nothing to do. That can both create a perception of more crime (because teenagers are scary) and also actually create it or concentrate it.
Re: Transit Crime
Posted: July 20th, 2020, 1:16 pm
by SurlyLHT
Also, the increase in homelessness and the opioid epidemics has probably led to more calls around LRT stations. Transit is obviously not the cause of homelessness or addiction, but where wayward people end up.
Re: Transit Crime
Posted: April 11th, 2022, 12:54 pm
by jtoemke
I was excited to visit Minneapolis this last weekend for a wedding after being away for around 3 years. I was hoping that a lot of what I had seen in the Strib was sensationalized relative to the light rail and its decreasing quality.
Taking the train twice on the trip-
1. Blue Line, MSP to Franklin Ave - 11:00AM. There were more likely unhoused individuals than other patrons. I wasn't personally bothered by this but other airport arrivers and perhaps first timers were clearly thrown. Getting off at the Franklin Av station I was sad to city that the city has basically given up trying to keep it nice. Each of the bays and all of the tracks were full of trash and personal belongings. All the glass was boarded up or heavily graffitied. Rough.
2. Green Line, East Bank to Warehouse District - 5:00pm. In my short four block train ride, not one but TWO people lit and smoked cigarettes on the train.
My main impression was that there is some definite truth to the news stories from my quick visit. How does this change? It felt embarrassing as someone who sings the praises of the city in their new home. It is certainly of a lower quality than when I was a full time resident.
Curious on everyone's thoughts. This is coming from a lover of Minneapolis, transit, and cities. I can only assume what others less enthused are thinking.
Re: Transit Crime
Posted: April 11th, 2022, 4:19 pm
by Nick
The situation on the trains has been deteriorating for years, and the Met Council and others are laser-focused on making sure we enforce the rules even less. Not optimistic about it. I don't get the sense that the people denying that this is an issue take the train often, much less depend on it, especially outside of rush hour.
Re: Transit Crime
Posted: April 12th, 2022, 10:07 am
by LRV Op Dude
I was excited to visit Minneapolis this last weekend for a wedding after being away for around 3 years. I was hoping that a lot of what I had seen in the Strib was sensationalized relative to the light rail and its decreasing quality.
Taking the train twice on the trip-
1. Blue Line, MSP to Franklin Ave - 11:00AM. There were more likely unhoused individuals than other patrons. I wasn't personally bothered by this but other airport arrivers and perhaps first timers were clearly thrown. Getting off at the Franklin Av station I was sad to city that the city has basically given up trying to keep it nice. Each of the bays and all of the tracks were full of trash and personal belongings. All the glass was boarded up or heavily graffitied. Rough.
2. Green Line, East Bank to Warehouse District - 5:00pm. In my short four block train ride, not one but TWO people lit and smoked cigarettes on the train.
My main impression was that there is some definite truth to the news stories from my quick visit. How does this change? It felt embarrassing as someone who sings the praises of the city in their new home. It is certainly of a lower quality than when I was a full time resident.
Curious on everyone's thoughts. This is coming from a lover of Minneapolis, transit, and cities. I can only assume what others less enthused are thinking.
Well you missed out the many times I have seen people shotting up, smoking narcotics, urinating, pooping, throwing up, having sex and fighting. You missed out on the stabbing that occurred on the Green Line and the shotting the next day a few weeks ago. Next time take a Uber. It will be a lot safer.
Re: Transit Crime
Posted: April 12th, 2022, 10:32 am
by Bakken2016
It definitely doesn't help that MTPD sits in their vehicles waiting for things to happen instead of riding the trains.
Re: Transit Crime
Posted: April 12th, 2022, 11:31 am
by DanPatchToget
It definitely doesn't help that MTPD sits in their vehicles waiting for things to happen instead of riding the trains.
Agreed, though if more cops were riding the trains then people would complain that they're uncomfortable with their presence due to the lack of trust in police. There's also the issue of how the police would enforce rules while riding on the trains. Do they know how to deescalate situations, or would they respond to tense situations with increased hostility? I'd like to be more optimistic, but this seems like a lose-lose situation whether more cops are riding the trains or they sit in their vehicles and wait for crime to happen.
What happened with that proposal to have unarmed transit ambassadors riding the trains to check tickets and ensure a safe environment on the trains and at stations? I think that would be worth a try, but the pessimist side of me sees very little people signing up to be transit ambassadors (even if there's good pay and benefits) and a lot of cases where ambassadors end up having to involve the police.
Re: Transit Crime
Posted: April 12th, 2022, 12:21 pm
by tedlanda2571
It definitely doesn't help that MTPD sits in their vehicles waiting for things to happen instead of riding the trains.
I can only imagine the response to the first video of a transit cop trying to get an uncooperative ‘unhoused’ person to leave the train.
I think I’d tend to sit in my vehicle too, thank you very much. Either that or quit.
Re: Transit Crime
Posted: April 12th, 2022, 12:39 pm
by twincitizen
Two guys were smoking crack or meth in the seats in front of me on a southbound Blue Line between downtown and Lake, on a Sunday afternoon. I don't ride that often, but I have been a bit more lately, several trips to the airport, etc. I haven't seen a transit cop on a train in years. I don't think they've been doing fare enforcement at all during the pandemic... which I would be fine with, I guess, if they were still a regular visible presence and doing something about the more serious criminal behavior.
I took some out-of-town friends to a Twins game Saturday afternoon and all was fine. If you're bringing any visitors on the train, during a Twins game is probably the only time you can be reasonably assured you won't see anything sketchy, due to the larger crowds.