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PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — TriMet has announced that the Portland Police Bureau will once again be part of the transit division to boost rider safety after a multiyear break.
More Portland police officers will soon be riding along on TriMet’s 1.3 million weekly trips. On Friday, PPB announced it would be rejoining with the TriMet Transit Police Division after a nearly five-year break.
“That was a very complex time, the Portland bureau stepped away from a lot of its programs for a variety of reasons,” said PPB Chief Bob Day.
PPB left the transit police in 2020 amid calls for social justice reforms and concerns over accountability and racial equity.
The Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office took over and will stay as the lead agency. Portland police are now adding five officers and one sergeant, bringing the team to 31 in total from multiple agencies, including police from Beaverton and Hillsboro.
“Every rider deserves to feel safe traveling to work, school or to essential appointments,” said Multnomah County Sheriff Nicole Morrisey O’Donnell.
The announcement comes after safety concerns have been raised following occasional violent incidents on transit properties, including when a man used a slingshot to fire a metal dart into someone’s back at a TriMet MAX stop last summer, among other examples.
TriMet said it has expanded safety efforts since 2021 and it is now deploying nearly 500 unarmed security staff and outreach teams.
Portland Mayor Keith Wilson touted a 50% drop in police calls on the transit system between 2021 and 2024 as coinciding with a decline in violent and property crimes in the city, overall, in recent years.
“When TriMet is successful, it means Portland is successful. We are tied together,” Wilson said.
TriMet is paying Portland to put six officers back on the transit police team. The Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office and the Port of Portland police are also adding staff to boost coverage.
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Anthony Kustura
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