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Security plan for light-rail line falls apart
Tempe,
Mesa reject police staffing, instead will use private guards
Casey Newton
The Arizona Republic
May 7, 2008 07:55 PM
A plan to staff the Valley's 20-mile light-rail line with
police personnel has fallen apart, with Tempe and Mesa
deciding to use security guards instead.
The move, which Tempe officials said would save money and
make it easier to plan for special events, was blasted by
Phoenix officials, who said it would lead to a less secure
system. Phoenix will staff its portion of the line with
police personnel.
"For some reason, their leadership has decided it's more
important to be frugal than to ensure the safety of our
ridership," said Tom Simplot, chairman of Metro light rail
and a Phoenix city councilman.
Officials in Phoenix, which hoped to staff the entire line
with its own police personnel, said putting multiple
agencies in charge of fare inspections would lead to
inconsistent enforcement.
That could jeopardize the systemwide goal of getting 97
percent of riders to pay for their trip, an important
financial target for Metro light rail.
Phoenix also worries that security guards will be less
effective in educating the public about how to use the new
system when it opens Dec. 27.
"You get better customer service, better consistency" with a
municipal force, said Maria Hyatt, Phoenix's light-rail
coordinator. "That's important to us."
Light-rail systems around the country differ in how they
provide security.
Portland, Ore., uses a combination of
police officers and hired guards.
Atlanta has its own police force. Denver uses private
security.
Tempe City Manager Charlie Meyer said he is confident that
security guards will be as effective as Phoenix police in
enforcing fare collection and coordinating with Tempe police
in the event of an incident on the trains. He noted that the
city uses a private firm to provide security at Tempe City
Hall.
"Our Police Department is responsible for security on the
light-rail system and takes that very seriously," Meyer
said. "We will be integrating Police Department personnel
with security personnel so we always know what's going on."
Mesa
officials said that once Tempe decided to use security
guards, they followed suit. Because Phoenix personnel will
disembark from the trains at the Tempe line, there would be
no way for them to provide security once the trains reach
Mesa.
The security issue has created a new point of friction among
the cities that share governing authority over the $1.4
billion system.
For the past year and a half, Phoenix developed a plan to
staff the rail system with six full-time officers and 18
"police assistants" who would inspect fares and provide
security on the trains and at stations.
Phoenix
would pay two-thirds of the cost, with Tempe and Mesa
contributing the rest.
Negotiations collapsed on April 30, when Tempe officials
balked at the cost. Tempe officials also thought using a
private firm would make it easier to add temporary staff
during special events.
Going private will save Tempe about $350,000 a year, Meyer
said.
The move has angered light-rail officials in Phoenix, who
characterized the Tempe-Mesa approach as more appropriate
for a shopping mall than a transit system.
"It is unfortunate we could not agree on a uniform,
comprehensive approach for all three cities," Phoenix City
Manager Frank Fairbanks wrote in a letter this week to
Meyer. "We do not agree this is the best solution for
providing a consistent level of security, customer service
and enforcement."
The decision to use different security forces in each city
also poses challenges for Metro light rail, whose staff will
be charged with hiring the contractors, monitoring their
performance and coordinating their efforts with Phoenix.
Metro light rail CEO Rick Simonetta said the Valley's
light-rail system differs from others around the country
because power is shared among the cities, rather than
entrusted to a regional transit authority.
May 21, Aviation Department, Sky Harbor Airport, Terminal 3,
West Mezzanine, 6:30 – 8:30 a.m., 2:30 – 4:30 p.m.
Bus Service Changes Public Hearing date:
June 4, Phoenix Public Transit Department, 302 N. First
Ave., First floor, 5:30 – 7:30 p.m.
Members of the public not able to attend the open houses or
public hearing can send comments to PubTrans@phoenix.gov or
by writing to “Phoenix Bus Service Changes”, 302 N. First
Ave., #900, Phoenix, AZ 85003. Comments will be accepted
until June 6, 2008.
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