Metro News Release

For immediate release: June 25, 2004

Metro’s June safety spotlight issue of the month


The Metro Transit Police Department celebrates 28 years of service this month

This month, the Metro Transit Police Department marks its 28th year of service protecting Washington, D.C.’s mass transit system, the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (Metro). Every day, more than 370 sworn members serve and protect the more than 1.2 million customers who use Metrorail and Metrobus each weekday.

On June 4, 1976, President Gerald Ford, in concert with legislation passed by the governing bodies of Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia, signed into law authorization to establish the Metro Transit Police force. Transit Police Officers have tri-state jurisdiction with responsibility for a variety of law enforcement and public safety functions on transit facilities throughout the Washington Metropolitan area.

Today, Metro Transit Police officers serve a population of 3.2 million, and have jurisdiction and arrest powers throughout the 1,500 square mile transit zone for crimes that occur on, to, or against Metro.

Among the many responsibilities of the Metro Transit Police, are:

  • Officers assigned either on foot or bicycle to patrol stations including platforms, mezzanines, parking facilities, and trains traveling between stations.
  • Officers assigned to patrol by motorcycle, or in conventionally marked mobile units to respond to bus-related incidents and rail situations.

  • Speciality units include Service Response Teams, Canine Teams for patrol and Explosive Ordinance Detection, and Civil Disturbance Teams.

  • A detective is assigned to the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force.

  • Officers in casual clothes are assigned to ride Metrobuses and, occasionally, to provide covert patrol at stations and aboard trains.

  • Incidents requiring extended investigations are handled by Metro Transit Police detectives.

  • Metro Transit Police also has a contingent assigned to the protection of Authority revenues.

In addition to these daily functions, the Metro Transit Police have several initiatives that occur daily. They include:

  • A squad of officers called the Rail Anti-crime Target Squad (RATS) who are focused on the enforcement of Metro’s public conduct ordinances. The officers’ main focus is increased enforcement of littering, smoking, eating, and drinking violations inside Metrorail stations. Additionally, fare evaders, pickpockets, and disorderly juveniles will be targeted. This function was created by the Metro Transit Police in January 2003.

  • A department-wide Auto Theft Unit designed to reduce parking lot crime and take proactive enforcement efforts to reduce the region’s increasing problems with stolen autos. The Auto Theft Unit consists of officers in plain clothes, officers on motorcycles, K-9 teams, officers on bicycles, portable aerial towers, and Metro employees who are on workers compensation assignments that allow them to work for the police department as Parking Lot Observers. This function was created in August 2003, and last month, the Metro Transit Police Department’s Auto Theft Unit was recognized by the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments when it was presented with the "Vehicle Theft Unit Award" by the regional Chiefs of Police Motor Vehicle Theft Subcommittee.

  • As a result of activities happening around the world, safety and security are on the minds of many. Since September 11, 2001, and the events that happened in Madrid, Spain, in March 2004, the Metro Transit Police have increased the frequency of its station patrols. At any time, customers may see the following:

    • Station patrols by its special response teams (similar to SWAT teams) who patrol with specially trained explosive detection canines;

    • Train-to-train and railcar-to-railcar patrols;

    • Increased number of police officers who patrol during rush hour by assigning administrative officers to stations and trains during times when more customers are in the system;

    • Reinforce security and safety procedures awareness with customers and employees to be attentive to their surroundings. This includes a recent campaign known as, "Excuse me, is that your bag" ";

  • Increase public address announcements and Passenger Information Display announcements to customers reminding them to be vigilant, and alert for any suspicious activities or unattended items in the Metro system.

The Metro Transit Police Department is led by Chief Polly Hanson, who is the first woman at Metro to serve as its Police Chief, and only the second woman to hold such a position at a major transit agency. She began her service as the Metro Transit Police Department’s Chief on July 1, 2002, following the retirement of the former Chief of Police, Barry McDevitt.

Chief Hanson joined Metro in March 1981, and was assigned as a police officer in the Field Operations Bureau. She was promoted through the ranks to Deputy Chief in 1996. "As Chief of Police for the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, it is my responsibility to serve and protect our customers, employees, and the entire transit system," said Polly Hanson, Chief of Police for Metro. "Each day, our officers serve a variety of functions with the sole purpose of serving the community, and protecting our transit system. And while we do have what I believe is one of the best police forces in the region, we can not do it alone.

"Our customers play a vital role in protecting the transit system. Our customers serve as active partners, extending our eyes and ears, and we have built a strong security partnership with our customers since September 11, 2001. We have asked our customers to be extra vigilant in keeping an eye open for unattended packages and suspicious activity and report anything along those lines to Metro Transit Police or any Metro employee, and I am proud to say that they have done so and continue to do so. We take their concerns seriously, and we have followed up to investigate hundreds of packages or unusual substances that they have brought to our attention. Their assistance is extremely valuable and important to us.

"We continually thank them for joining us in this effort, and we encourage anyone to report suspicious behavior or anything out of the ordinary to us anytime by talking to our officers out and about in the system, or by calling us on 202-962-2121."

News release issued on June 25, 2004.