The Portland Tri-Met police unit, which will start patrolling buses and
MAX trains May 15, will be flexible and innovative, officials at the
Portland Police Bureau promised Friday
________________________________________________________

TRI-MET TESTS NEW TECHNOLOGY TO IMPROVE
TRANSIT SECURITY
Oregonian, The (Portland, OR)
      March 13, 1990
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Rockwood policing plan slated to yield  immediate impact
  Oregonian, The (Portland, OR)
       July 26, 1990
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 ROCKWOOD SAFETY TEAMS RIDE MAX TO CURB CRIME
      Oregonian, The (Portland, OR)
      May 16, 1991

The safety action team combines Multnomah County and Gresham resources
for community policing. The teen-agers, accompanied by a police officer or
police intern, ride out from the team's office next to the Rockwood Fred
Meyer at 18719 S.E. Stark St. to the end of the line in Gresham or to the
Gateway transit center. ``There's a lot going on the light rail,'' said Karen
Masterson, community service officer. ``We just want to be a positive presence.''
_____________________________________________________________

FRED MEYER LEAVES ROCKWOOD  the 45-year-old Rockwood store
at 18535 S.E. Stark St. located next to the MAX
The Oregonian  11/25/02
___________________________________________________________________

``We don't feel the least bit discouraged,'' Johnson said. The Gresham
Police Department is changing its structure to encourage community policing,
which emphasizes solving neighborhood problems before they get out of control.
Oregonian, The (Portland, OR)
      September 4, 1992
_________________________________________________________________

TRI-MET BEEFS UP SECURITY AFTER ANOTHER SHOOTING
Oregonian, The
November 11, 1993

Tri-Met spokesman Johnson said the transit agency worried about public opinions.
``Our position is that we're very concerned about the perception people have
about their safety on Tri-Met and we are very concerned about this (Tuesday)
incident.''
_________________________________________________________________

  CRIMINALS MAY TRACK MAX RIDERS AND CARS
      Oregonian, The     September 12, 1994

      Riders taking the MAX train to East Multnomah County, beware:
MAX may not be your friend.

      ``My sense is that things are pretty easy pickings,''
said Steve C. Tillinghast, Tri-Met security director. `
`I fear the park-and-ride lots are the targets.''
_________________________________________________________________

   DRIVEN MAD
      Oregonian, The       March 24, 1995

But Gresham police Lt. Raymond Kelsay believes
car thefts are rising for other reasons. Gresham's population is up,
and the MAX trains make it easy for someone to travel from Portland,
steal a car and drive away, he said.
_________________________________________________________________

   TRI-MET EXPANDS MAX SURVEILLANCE
      Oregonian, The        September 26, 1996

     The goal is to have the improved security system in operation before the
opening of the westside light-rail line in September 1998, said Neil McFarlane,
Tri-Met's light-rail project control manager.
--------cut--------
Portland Police Lt. Rosie Sizer, who is assigned to Tri-Met security,
agreed that some criminals are less likely to cause problems if they know
they are being watched.

      ``Cameras are part of the solution, but not the total solution,'' she said
. Sizer said police, both uniformed and undercover, also help increase
security on light rail.

_________________________________________________________________

TRI-MET DEVELOPS FAR-REACHING SECURITY PLAN
      Oregonian, The (Portland, OR)
      September 19, 1997
-----------cut----------

Tri-Met: Earlier plan has not been fully implemented

      Tri-Met officials have drafted a comprehensive security plan that
addresses everything from crisis training for drivers to a portable surveillance system.
----------------cut------------
 Some outsiders say the security plan represents a shift in Tri-Met's
thinking, from being reactive to getting ahead of security concerns.
----------cut-----------
Portland Police Chief Charles Moose asked critics to be patient with
Tri-Met as the transit agency shifts toward community policing.
-------------------cut------------
Still, Tri-Met is faced with skeptics who thought they heard the same
message from the transit agency four years ago but didn't see much action.
-----------cut---------------
Walsh said Tri-Met's wakeup call came in October 1993, when gang
members wounded a 14-year-old bystander when they opened fire on the
No. 4 bus, the same bus route Simmons was killed on.
 

Under construction more coming soon

Mixed news from MAX crime stats Numbers through Nov. 2007 show assaults, car thefts up on
Westside; car break-ins down significantly
Friday, January 18, 2008
By Nick Christensen

The Argus 

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 TriMet spokeswoman Mary Fetsch said police agencies have responded to safety needs along the line.

"What have we seen out in the community? What have we seen in the park and rides? That's how we approach it," Fetsch said. "We use the statistics to show trends to know what's happening in our system."

Rick Van Beveren, who represents the Tualatin Valley on the TriMet board, said the numbers justify the latest push for increased security presence on MAX. Last week, the board voted to create a Westside Precinct to up security on the MAX west of Washington Park.

"The changes we made, with the Westside Precinct, that's just making the police effort more sustainable," Van Beveren said. "We're hopeful that with additional resources, all of the measures will make MAX safer."