Good to know that all it takes to change a stupid security policy is to wait for someone to be beaten within an inch of their life, THEN change the policy. How about figuring it out AHEAD of time, so the public is protected?

Doesn’t Seattle remember Kristopher Kime (click here, or here), who was murdered in the sight of the Seattle police in 2001? Weren’t we going to learn from that travesty?

The Seattle Times reports (click here):

“The way Metro uses Olympic guards is similar to Sound Transit’s contract with Securitas, whose unarmed guards are paid $16 to $18 an hour to conduct fare enforcement and to patrol transit stations. Sound Transit’s policies, however, anticipate they’ll sometimes intervene:

“When faced with a clear and immediate threat of bodily harm, the Security Officer must always first consider retreating with any other people present to a secure position. When necessary to protect self and others from a clear and immediate threat of bodily harm, a Security Officer must use only the degree of force necessary to repel an attack or threat of an attack.”

Love this statement:

“After several crimes on Portland rail lines — including the beating of a 71-year-old man with a baseball bat at a suburban station — officials doubled the transit police from 28 officers to 58 during 2008-09, and crimes decreased, according to an Oregonian newspaper report.”

Ya think?

Bus-tunnel attack while guards watched prompts review of Metro security Seattle Times Sound Transit fare-enforcement officers are employed by the private firm Securitas. King County Metro's Transit Police, who are sheriff's deputies, ... and more »

SPD: On December 31st, at approximately 1:50 am, a 25-year old man was waiting in the bus shelter at Rainier Avenue South and South Myrtle Street.  He was approached by three males who began  assaulting the man by hitting him in the head and face. His wallet containing cash was then taken by the suspects.  The [...]

SPD: On November 27th at approximately 8:45 p.m. a husband and wife rode the light rail from downtown. When they got off at MLK Jr. Way South and South Henderson Street, a group of male suspects began following them. One of the suspects asked a disarming question, putting the victims at ease. Then the couple was [...]

SEATTLEPI.COM: A woman who was hit by a possible ricochet bullet Sept. 12 at a Rainier Avenue South bus stop was waiting for a connecting coach when she became a victim of an ongoing gang war between South Seattle and Central District gang members, according to police and court documents. The woman was shot near the intersection [...]

KOMO News

Suspect arrested in deadly shooting at Federal Way Transit Center KOMO News A 19-year-old man was shot dead Thursday afternoon at Sound Transit's Federal Way Transit Center, and a "person of interest" was taken into custody shortly ... and more »

Federal Way expects camera net to cut crime TheNewsTribune.com, WA Sound Transit plans to add three more cameras on transit center property in the next two months; they will be part of the Safe City system. By September, Sound Transit plans to upgrade 30 of its 50 cameras at the center. The transit center has been the ...

Looks like Sound Transit is boosting security at the Federal Way Transit Center. Here's the press release:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE — April 24, 2009 New security upgrades coming to Federal Way Transit Center Sound Transit and its local partners in Federal Way are continuing with security upgrades at the Federal Way Transit Center to ensure rigorous monitoring at one of the regions’ busiest transit hubs. Sound Transit will upgrade select security cameras at the site to new higher resolution formats and also provide a direct video feed from the transit center to the Federal ...