Crime on the Dallas Area Rapid Transit system remained flat between April and June compared with the same period last year, with assaults and thefts among the top offenses.
“Type A” offenses — including assault, theft, vandalism, drug offenses and robbery — decreased for the first time in four years, though only by six, or 1%. Trains and train platforms are hot spots for these major offenses, followed by buses and bus stops.
Arrests were at 5.3 per 100,000 riders, a significant increase over last year, according to DART Police Chief Charles Cato.
Most were for emergency detention, followed by warrants from other agencies.
The increase in arrests is a sign of recent investments in security, Cato said.
“We put an emphasis on going out there and engaging with the public, and when we do that we’re going to encounter people with narcotics, with other things, other warrants, and that’s something that’s a good sign that we’re … finding those folks who their behavior needs to be addressed,” Cato said.
DART moved more than $110 million from its mobility fund to its ridership improvement fund in 2022, in part to address security. Those measures included hiring 100 armed security officers, deploying elevator attendants, replacing video surveillance equipment and purchasing police body cameras. The agency also launched a pilot program of multidisciplinary response teams to connect riders in need of homelessness or mental health services.
Crime rates on buses and trains surged nationwide following the COVID-19 pandemic, and assaults on transit workers have tripled since 2008.
Among employee assaults this quarter, most — 32 — were of bus drivers, though 16 of those were verbal.
Calls for service rose by more than 6,000 compared with the same quarter last year. Many calls are being initiated by transit security officers for things like fare evasion. Response times have improved despite the uptick, Cato said.
The committee was also set to hear a briefing on revisions to DART’s comprehensive security strategy, though the presentation was postponed.
Survey results outlined in the plan point to ongoing customer dissatisfaction since 2017 around cleanliness and security, though most measures have shown some improvement the last two years. Train, bus stop, facility, and parking lot safety remains a key issue for riders.
City officials, community stakeholders and DART employees echoed the importance of safety in surveys. City managers highlighted concerns stemming from “increased reports of disorderly conduct, antisocial behavior, and incidents of crime.”
A May survey of employees showed that 57% use the system regularly and feel safe on it, though nearly 70% had witnessed a security incident on a bus or train.
“Key security issues reported include use of drugs/narcotics, smoking, loud music, fighting, drinking, and homeless persons using the system as shelter, most of which are also DART Code of Conduct violations,” according to the report.
