KC police officers soon will provide extra security for public transit system

The Kansas City Police Department soon will assign two officers to provide security for the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority, officials said Monday.

The officers will be in addition to 39 officers who currently work off-duty security for the ATA. The agency will receive funding to pay for the additional officers. It also plans to hire a full-time public safety manager and increase its security budget, officials said.

There were 19 incidents in 2015 when either a bus driver or passenger was assaulted. The agency had 15 million riders last year.

“Although one incident is too many, we are just trying to make it safer,” said Robbie Makinen, the agency’s president and CEO.

Police Chief Darryl Forté and agency officials will sign the two-year agreement Wednesday at the ATA’s monthly commission meeting. Money for the additional officers will come from the agency’s general operating budget dedicated for public safety. The ATA wants to develop similar partnerships with law enforcement agencies in Johnson, Wyandotte and eastern Jackson counties.

Under the arrangement, uniformed officers will patrol the bus system in Kansas City patrol vehicles and respond to emergencies on buses, at transit stops and on ATA property. The officers will be trained in crisis intervention.

This story was originally published January 25, 2016 at 10:54 AM with the headline "KC police officers soon will provide extra security for public transit system."