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7/16/2021
The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority's (WMATA) board and safety and operations committee has approved a proposal to suspend access to Metrorail and Metrobus for those arrested for sex and weapons related offenses on the system.
The full board is expected to vote on the proposal at an upcoming meeting.
A number of transit agencies around the country have implemented similar rules, such as Bay Area Rapid Transit, Dallas Area Rapid Transit, the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority and Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority.
Currently, those arrested on Metrorail or Metrobus for sex- or weapons-related charges are often released on the same day pending a court date. Those individuals are able to reenter the system and commit similar offenses.
Riders have reported an uptick in sex-related offenses on Metrorail/Metrobus in the past 18 months, WMATA officials said in a news release.
The proposal would ban those arrested on sex- or weapons-related charges from entering the system for 14 days after their first offense. A second offense would increase the suspension to 30 days and a third offense would trigger a one-year suspension.