Regional
Working Groups
Six cross-agency groups will bring together the partners responsible for delivery to advance priority solutions, oversee implementation, monitor progress and resolve barriers as the work moves forward.
Explore the Working Groups
Aligning Regional Incident Response
A transit incident may involve transit agencies, law enforcement, fire departments, emergency medical services, dispatch centers, local jurisdictions and contracted security providers. Differences in roles, response protocols, dispatch practices and geographic responsibility can create confusion, coverage gaps and delays, particularly where transit systems and jurisdictions overlap.
Priority Solutions to Advance
Regional Awareness of Enforcement Roles
Clarify roles and responsibilities across transit enforcement personnel.
Coordination at Overlapping Transit Sites
Close coverage and accountability gaps where Metro and Sound Transit systems overlap.
Regional Response Infrastructure
Establish shared protocols, roles and escalation standards across agencies and jurisdictions.
Fire and Medical Response Entry Standards
Create consistent regional standards for when Fire and EMS may enter transit incident scenes.
Local Jurisdiction Safety Contact
Formalize city-level contacts for coordination around high-priority transit safety locations.
Metro Safety Emphasis Team
Formalize and expand coordinated interagency response at priority areas.
Strengthening Data-Informed Deployments
Transit safety information is collected across multiple agencies and reporting systems. When incident information does not identify the specific stop, station, intersection or facility involved, regional partners have a limited ability to identify priority locations, understand coverage gaps, coordinate deployments and direct resources where they are most needed.
Priority Solution to Advance
Location-Specific Incident Reporting
Capture incidents at specific stops, stations and intersections to enable more precise location-based analysis and response.
Preventing Youth Violence
Youth-related transit safety concerns are connected to conditions that extend beyond the transit system, including schools, neighborhoods, community environments and access to trusted adults and positive opportunities. Responses centered only on individual incidents do not address the underlying conditions contributing to conflict or connect young people with sustained support.
Priority Solution to Advance
Scalable Youth Violence Prevention Programming
Increase investment in scalable, place-based violence prevention programming with consistent on-the-ground presence.
Improving Behavioral Health Response
People experiencing behavioral health, substance use, housing or other crises may need services and support that extend beyond a traditional public safety response. Differences in service availability, operating hours, response capacity and referral pathways can limit connections to appropriate crisis care, treatment, shelter, housing and other resources.
Priority Solutions to Advance
KC Outreach Groups
Expand County-led and partner outreach teams to provide broader non-enforcement coverage and faster connections to services.
Expand Co-Response Models
Increase deployments where behavioral health professionals accompany law enforcement or transit security.
CARE Team Expansion
Expand mobile CARE and detox coverage and hours toward 24/7 non-police crisis intervention.
Connections to Crisis Care Centers
Create direct referral pathways from transit incidents to King County crisis care centers.
Dedicated Housing Solutions
Develop housing or temporary shelter options on or near transit properties for riders in crisis.
Outreach Team Hours and Coverage
Expand outreach beyond daytime shifts to nights, weekends and additional high-need locations.
Strengthening Rider Behavior Expectations
Riders move across a regional transit network operated by different agencies with distinct codes, signs, messages and operating practices. Differences in how expectations are communicated can create uncertainty for riders and frontline employees and make it more difficult to promote consistent behavior across the system.
Priority Solutions to Advance
Regional Code of Conduct Campaign
Develop and launch a unified Code of Conduct campaign across regional transit agencies, including standardized signage and public education.
Student Fare Access Partnership
Support schools in distributing student IDs integrated with ORCA cards to preserve free access and reduce fare-related conflict.
Strengthening Policy and Legal Coordination
Transit-related offenses may involve multiple jurisdictions, prosecuting authorities, courts, transit agencies and legal frameworks. Differences in policies, legal interpretations and available protections can complicate regional coordination and create gaps in how transit-related offenses and assaults against frontline workers are addressed.
Priority Solutions to Advance
Coordination with Prosecutors and Courts
Establish coordination mechanisms with prosecutors and city attorneys to improve consistency and alignment around transit-related offenses.
Transit Worker Assault Definition
Advance legislative efforts to expand legal protections to contracted and frontline transit workers.
The solutions have been identified.
The Regional Working Groups will move them into action, oversee implementation and sustain progress across the regional transit system.