Metro News Release

For immediate release: February 21, 2008

Michael Taborn appointed new Metro Transit Police Chief

Michael Taborn has been appointed Chief of the Metro Transit Police Department and will begin his duties on March 10. Taborn, a 28-year Metro Transit Police Department (MTPD) veteran, is currently the Director of the Office of Transit Safety and Security with the Federal Transit Administration (FTA).

Taborn, 55, has been with the FTA for a little more than five years and prior to that was employed with the Metro Transit Police for 28 years. He worked a variety of assignments in the MTPD and served the last 10 years as the Training Division Commander, where he retired as a Police Captain in 2002.

“Having been here when the first trains rolled out and now coming back to lead the Metro Transit Police completes a circle for me. I understand this police department and I understand the mission of Metro,” Taborn said. “We have a responsibility to provide safe, reliable transportation to our patrons and our employees.”

Taborn, a resident of Prince George’s County, MD, will become the fifth Chief of Police for Metro. He follows Polly Hanson who retired last year when she was promoted to Assistant General Manager of Safety and Security for Metro.

“We look forward to working closely with Chief Taborn in his new role back here at Metro,” said Metro General Manager John Catoe. “He is someone who knows policing, knows the challenges of doing so in a transit environment, and obviously is familiar with our system.”

In his position as Director of FTA’s Office of Transit Safety and Security, Taborn provides leadership in the development and management of programs and initiatives to continuously improve the safety and security of passengers, employees, emergency responders and all others who come into contact with the public transportation system. He is directly responsible for increasing FTA’s coordination with the Department of Homeland Security to ensure effective implementation of national strategies to strengthen the security and emergency preparedness of the public transit industry.

Taborn also oversees multimodal safety and security technical assistance initiatives including the execution of semi-annual Safety and Security Roundtables, emergency management and preparedness programs such as the Connecting Communities Emergency Forums, Transit Watch, FTA continuity of operations planning, interagency coordination with the Transportation Security Administration, National Transportation Safety Board, Federal Railroad Administration, the American Public Transportation Association, the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, and the Community Transportation Association of America. In addition, Taborn oversees all FTA sponsored training in safety, security and emergency preparedness delivered by Johns Hopkins University, the National Transit Institute and the Transportation Safety Institute.

News release issued at 12:33 pm, February 21, 2008.