How Safe is Our Transit System? Metro Releases Detailed Crime Statistics
The stabbing death of Jesse Garay aboard a Red Line subway train last month was the first killing on the rail system since it opened in 1993. Recently, the victim's mother filed a claim against Metro, accusing the transit system of lacking adequate safety. Now Metro has opted to release detailed crime statistics for the first time, reports The Source.
The Source's Steve Hymon summarizes both sides of the safety coin succinctly as follows:
The good news: crime is very low on the Metro system — certainly lower than in many surrounding communities. Over the past five years, the number of the most serious crimes has gone down and the number of arrests and citations issued is up.The bad news: the Metro system is not crime-free and it’s not immune to some of the ills of the cities that it serves. That’s just the unfortunate reality.
Most of the crimes reported as taking place on the Metro system involve theft, particularly snatch-and-run grabs of cellphones, purses, and jewelry. Additionally, crime rates are the highest on the Blue and Green lines.
Suggestions for lowering your risk of being a victim of theft at a Metro station or on a bus or train include concealing your valuables on your person or, if you park your car in a Metro lot, in your trunk.
“Your chances of being a victim of violent crime on the transit system are incredibly low,” said Commander Patrick J. Jordan in a discussion with Hymon.
The Source has published various charts released by Metro showing crime statistics by line and month, as well as other relevant data.
