TriMet adopts new crime reporting system

The Tri-County Metropolitan Transportation District of Oregon (TriMet) has adopted the National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS) to track reported crime on its system.

Under the new system, more types of reported offenses are captured, and all offenses associated with an incident are reported. The previous reporting system used a hierarchy to report only the most serious offense in an incident, TriMet officials said in a press release.

While NIBRS provides a more comprehensive view of reported crime, it will result in higher reported crime statistics. That's because the system counts multiple offenses instead of the highest offense within a single incident, according to the agency.

In 2016, TriMet reported 1,247 offenses on its system. Of that total, 47 percent occurred on the rail system, which includes both the MAX light-rail and WES commuter-rail systems.

"Safety for both TriMet riders and our employees remains paramount, and it takes the combined effort of TriMet leadership, our law enforcement and community partners, employees and customers to keep our buses, trains, stations and transit centers a welcome place," said TriMet Executive Director of Safety and Security Harry Saporta.