(Cuyahoga County) - The Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority released the results of a safety audit showing serious crimes on the RTA were down 59% for the first six months of 2018, compared with the same period for 2016.
“We wanted to report year-to-date numbers to RTA Trustees, so we looked at the first six months of each year in the audit, and the results are very encouraging,” said RTA spokeswoman Linda Krecic. “It’s clear that the hard work RTA Transit Police do to keep our 200,000 daily riders safe is paying off.”
Krecic told Newsradio WTAM 1100, disorderly conduct dropped 47% for the reporting period, because RTA police have placed an increased emphasis on arresting people who are drunk, disorderly and belligerent.
The most dramatic decreases showed robberies down by 80% and thefts down by 51% for the reporting period.
Kresic says extensive surveillance by cameras has help make a big difference, along with enhanced training of their 134 officer strong RTA police force.
RTA Transit Police Chief John Joyce said in a prepared statement, the dramatic decrease is the payoff for RTA’s investment in safety: “We now have more officers, and more visibility. That’s a clear deterrent to would-be criminals. We have working video cameras in every bus and train and on every platform, and we fully utilize that technology. If you commit a crime, we’re going to see you and we’re going to arrest you. That’s a strong deterrent,” said Chief Joyce.
(Photos by Ken Robinson/WTAM)
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