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Assembly awards unarmed transit security contract after transit director says rider- and operator-safety indicators improved
Summary
The Assembly approved AM789Dash2825 to award a contract to Securitas Security Services USA for unarmed transit security. Transit officials told the panel that security guards have improved perceived safety measures and that a combination of onboard riders and patrol cars respond to incidents.
The Anchorage Assembly unanimously approved AM789Dash2825 to award a contract with Securitas Security Services USA for unarmed security guard services on municipal transit, after a brief discussion about the program's purpose and operational model.
"We have every 3 months survey where we survey the riders and we ask them how safe they feel on the bus," Bart Rudolph, Public Transit Director, told the assembly. He said the transit department observed a "significant increase" in riders' sense of safety since introducing transit security. Rudolph described the deployment model: five guards on duty at any one time, with three randomly riding buses and two in patrol cars. "If there's an incident, one of the people in the patrol car will respond usually within about 15, 20 minutes," Rudolph said, adding that dispatch decides whether to call 911 or manage via transit security.
Members asked about the guards' unarmed status and their authority. Rudolph said the security staff are trained in de-escalation and can detain or restrain a person until APD arrives, but if a suspect is armed the response would rely on Anchorage Police Department. Several members emphasized the multi-pronged strategy the city has used to protect transit employees and riders, including an ordinance passed earlier strengthening penalties for assaulting transit employees and public-awareness campaigns.
Assembly Member Kirk moved the recommendation to approve; the motion passed 11–0. The administration presented the contract as a standard operational funding item; members described similar security programs as common on transit systems and welcomed improved rider confidence indicated in department surveys.
The contract is unarmed security only; the transit department and police will remain the response partners for violent or armed incidents. The vote and discussion are recorded in the meeting transcript; deployment and ongoing effectiveness metrics will be monitored by transit staff.
