TriMet reports drops in serious crimes, outlines expanded safety teams and new technology

TriMet Chief Safety Officer Andrew Wilson told the Washington County Coordinating Committee on April 17 that the agency has seen large declines in high‑priority police calls over the last three years and described expanded staffing, technology and station‑control measures to keep transit operators and riders safer.

The presentation outlined a multi‑layered safety strategy that TriMet has deployed since 2021, including transit police contracted from local agencies, nearly tripled numbers of transit security officers, code‑enforcement supervisors, a 69‑member Safety Response Team that provides outreach and supplies to vulnerable riders, and a 24‑hour Security Operations Center. "When you call 911 and you're on the system ... you get police dispatched to you," Wilson said, noting that calls for police service peaked in 2021 and have fallen 52% since then.

TriMet said the reductions are concentrated in serious offenses such as assault and robbery, and credited a combination of increased on‑platform presence, more than 8,000 cameras across the system, a new surveillance team and closer district‑attorney partnerships. Wilson described the surveillance room co‑located with prosecutors and investigators and said those investigators and victim advocates are helping TriMet put cases together for prosecution.

TriMet also described technology and physical‑security upgrades aimed at stations and operator safety. The agency opened a Security Operations Center in October and now offers real‑time camera monitoring and…