Police: Crime Persists at Brooklyn Center Transit Center
Police say private security forces have helped to reduce crime at many transit stations in the metro — but not at the Brooklyn Center Transit Center.
Metro Transit Police Chief Ernest Morales III told the Metropolitan Council on Nov. 1 that overall crime on transit lines is down 33 percent this year.
Despite this overall reduction in crime, issues persist at the Brooklyn Center Transit Center, located at 2900 County Rd. 10.
“We’ve had success in every one of these stations with the exception of the Brooklyn Center Transit Center,” Morales said. “We’re still trying to get grips on what’s taking place there. We have spoken with our security partners. We’ve expressed our concern. A conversation was had. We’re still monitoring in hopes that this will improve but there are a lot of complex pieces there.”
He characterized the issues at the transit center as beyond the purview of any specific police agency.
“I want to remind people that transit is a window to the larger societal issues that are taking place,” Morales said. “When we talk about Brooklyn Center Transit Center, it’s not only a transit center as an issue, it’s what’s going on in Brooklyn Center itself that plagues this particular station.”
An exterior view of the Brooklyn Center Transit Center. Metro Transit Police Chief Ernest Morales III says issues with crime have persisted at the transit stop.
Staffing Issues
Meanwhile, Morales said that proactive policing and increased law enforcement presence have helped to reduce criminal activity on and around transit lines.
The Metro Transit Police Department continues to face staffing shortages. The department has 106 full-time officers. It’s budgeted for 171.
Meanwhile, the department has 34 part-time officers. It’s budgeted for 80.
The department’s community service officer program, which employs officers-in-training, has only 14 members. It’s budgeted for 70.
Morales said that the department is working with Hennepin Technical College to find new candidates for the community service officer program.
