Bi-State board approves Metro Transit-St. Louis security contracts

The Bi-State Development Board of Commissioners earlier this month approved five new contracts with St. Louis regional law enforcement agencies and a security provider to support the Metro Transit-St. Louis light-rail system.

The approved contracts will contribute to Metro Transit-St. Louis’s multilayered approach to safety and security, Bi-State Development officials said in a press release. 

The board approved contracts with:

• the St. Louis County Police Department, St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and St. Clair County Sheriff’s Department, which will provide a uniformed, law enforcement presence on the light-rail system; 
• G4S Secure Solutions, whose contracted security officers and fare inspectors will patrol transit vehicles and locations, engage customers and enforce rules; and 
• security specialists, who will respond to calls, patrol the system and actively coordinate with security officers and police partners.

Under the agreement, the St. Louis County PD will assign 44 uniformed officers on the system, and the St. Clair County Sheriff’s Department will assign 15 uniformed deputies.

The board also approved two memorandums of understanding with the St. Clair County Sheriff’s Department and St. Louis City Sheriff’s Department to allow Metro Transit-St. Louis to obtain services from secondary deputy sheriffs who would provide law enforcement to the agency during off-duty hours.

These agreements are part of the coordinated strategy of Metro Transit and the region's elected officials to create stronger collaboration and resource deployment with the agency’s public safety team and professional police partners to improve safety and security on the system, Bi-State officials said.