urbanSTL

Stl Today - 2 men charged with murder in shooting at MetroLink station

http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/crim ... 1da91.html

Sad to say it, but after moving to Seattle and riding the light rail there, I realized I have been living in ignorance when it came to STL Metrolink. Honestly I think we have all become numb to the panhandling, drug dealing, fare-hopping, and just downright shady people hanging around the station and inside the train cars.

As much as I would have loved to have voted yes to the metrolink expansion, I now think they need to fix the security issue first. Expanding the systems to more areas with poverty is only going to make the security issues even more necessary. We need to get that right before we think about making the system more complex.

Sadly, until our fragmented region and police departments are more unified, im doubtful that the safety issue on metrolink is going to improve. Same can be said for the crime problem with the entire city of stl.

Sorry for the depressing post but it's just so discouraging to think about.


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"Sadly, until our fragmented region and police departments are more unified, im doubtful that the safety issue on metrolink is going to improve. "

Fragmentation may cause many issues, but I'm not sure that's the issue with Metro, as there are only two agencies responsible for Metro safety on the Missouri side. Would consolidating from two to one really make much difference? I say no.

Seattle Times - Seattle student poverty rate high, but are they truly poor?

Seattle’s poverty rate is 14.5 percent — among the lowest of any major city — which pencils out to 90,000 city residents. Remarkably, 23,000 of them are college and graduate students, more than a quarter of the total.

http://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-new ... n-poverty/

Police Warning Shots May Be in for a Comeback
http://readersupportednews.org/news-sec ... a-comeback

Hopefully it's not anomaly, but it appears there were "only" 5 homicides in March, which would be a record monthly low the past several years. Year-to-date though we're at 34, just one behind the total after March 2015 & 2016.

Near Delmar and DeBaliviere

StlToday - Man dies of multiple gunshot wounds in St. Louis

http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/crim ... 41506.html

4 homicides so far for April in the city; two in the County past 24 hours and a double homicide over the weekend in Metro East. I guess Saint Louis's shooting season has indeed returned.

Many city residents voted against soccer because the said the money should be used to fight crime. So will they actually demand that their alderfolks divert $40 million they expect to crime fighting? Or was that more of a philosophy vote? Any predictions on how much crime stats will improve with the claimed new money? And when is the crime reduction expected to result in a population rate turnaround?

gary kreie wrote: ↑

Apr 05, 2017

Many city residents voted against soccer because the said the money should be used to fight crime. So will they actually demand that their alderfolks divert $40 million they expect to crime fighting? Or was that more of a philosophy vote? Any predictions on how much crime stats will improve with the claimed new money? And when is the crime reduction expected to result in a population rate turnaround?

Nothing will change, just as nothing changed with the Rams not getting their stadium.

gary kreie wrote: ↑

Apr 05, 2017

Many city residents voted against soccer because the said the money should be used to fight crime. So will they actually demand that their alderfolks divert $40 million they expect to crime fighting? Or was that more of a philosophy vote? Any predictions on how much crime stats will improve with the claimed new money? And when is the crime reduction expected to result in a population rate turnaround?

It's $4M per year, not $40M.

Not to mention the looming budget shortfall next year so the $4 million does nothing

gary kreie wrote: ↑

Apr 05, 2017

Many city residents voted against soccer because the said the money should be used to fight crime.

How many is "many" and where can I find this information?

urban_dilettante wrote: ↑

Apr 05, 2017

gary kreie wrote: ↑

Apr 05, 2017

Many city residents voted against soccer because the said the money should be used to fight crime.

How many is "many" and where can I find this information?

Ditto.

The Board is probably just going to use the 4 mil from the use tax to plug holes in the budget, of which there are many (St. Louis's Affordable Housing Trust Fund was mentioned by Ald. Green at the St. Louis Young Democrats meeting when she spoke in opposition to Prop 2). Doubt any of it will go to crime.

From the howler link posted above

"If the first passes but the second fails, however, that $4 million would go towards what a city ordinance currently mandates it to be spent on: affordable housing grants, public health services, and other social programs."


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I hope the City chooses to prioritize public safety over affordable housing with this money. I realize affordable housing is important but in a time of budget difficulties we need to think long and hard about our priorities. Crime is by far our number one issue and it affects all City residents.

They aren't going to do anything with this money other than toss it into the general fund. They used it as something they can grandstand against the stadium over.


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Another murder on Metrolink

Man shot dead on MetroLink train near UMSL

http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/crim ... 46a1e.html

A man was shot dead on a MetroLink train late Wednesday night in north St. Louis County.

The victim is in his 20s. Police have not released his name.

He was killed as he rode in the back of the train at about 11:15 p.m. Wednesday. The shooting followed a fight between the two men as MetroLink approached the UMSL South station, at 7790 Natural Bridge Avenue.

When the train stopped, the gunman ran off. Police officers caught him and booked him on suspicion of murder.

bprop wrote: ↑

Apr 06, 2017

Another murder on Metrolink

Man shot dead on MetroLink train near UMSL

http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/crim ... 46a1e.html

A man was shot dead on a MetroLink train late Wednesday night in north St. Louis County.

The victim is in his 20s. Police have not released his name.

He was killed as he rode in the back of the train at about 11:15 p.m. Wednesday. The shooting followed a fight between the two men as MetroLink approached the UMSL South station, at 7790 Natural Bridge Avenue.

When the train stopped, the gunman ran off. Police officers caught him and booked him on suspicion of murder.

Pathetic. This is obscene and frustrating.
I have always been more standoffish with Metrolink's safety, but this is ridiculous. I know they will be hard to implement at some stations, but it is time for the implementation of a turnstile system. It could easily be like the turnstiles in Boston, which physically bar you from fare jumping, and if you crawl under them it blares an alarm and takes your photo. Either we go the route of turnstiles or we inundate the system with uniformed police officers 24 Hours per day.

I saw a comment on a Facebook group which made me think. Metro always harps about how they have Metro-branded "public safety" officers. They have at least 40, possibly as many as 48. They're armed and are typically ex- or off-duty cops. They make pretty good money (at least, a lot more than a security guard).

Yet they have no power whatsoever to write citations (as of 2015) or make arrests. At least, no more arrest power than the average citizen has.

Now, I haven't seen a single one in about three years, maybe four. But let's assume they're patrolling the system. Why have them? That's a big expenditure for people who can't do any more than a minimum wage security guard to prevent or apprehend criminals.

bprop wrote:I saw a comment on a Facebook group which made me think. Metro always harps about how they have Metro-branded "public safety" officers. They have at least 40, possibly as many as 48. They're armed and are typically ex- or off-duty cops. They make pretty good money (at least, a lot more than a security guard).

Yet they have no power whatsoever to write citations (as of 2015) or make arrests. At least, no more arrest power than the average citizen has.

Now, I haven't seen a single one in about three years, maybe four. But let's assume they're patrolling the system. Why have them? That's a big expenditure for people who can't do any more than a minimum wage security guard to prevent or apprehend criminals.

A very interesting point. On a side note, if I was Lyda Krewson, next week as soon as I am sworn in I would put St Louis under a state of emergency (not sure if this under mayoral powers). I feel that the crime in this city has become so brazen that it must be addressed immediately.


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I think it would need to be both the Mayor and County Executive to do so (if they can). I think there is one big reason reason they should that people need to think, is that if they can't Eric Grietens and/or Donald Trump might step in and how would people react to that action.

Chalupas54 wrote: ↑

Apr 06, 2017

A very interesting point. On a side note, if I was Lyda Krewson, next week as soon as I am sworn in I would put St Louis under a state of emergency (not sure if this under mayoral powers). I feel that the crime in this city has become so brazen that it must be addressed immediately.

Not false, but just as point of information, this particular crime was in the County.

I'd be thrilled if Krewson simply ordered the StL PD to dedicate officers to the Metro system and account for their hours on it -- what they're being paid by Metro do to.

Chalupas54 wrote: ↑

Apr 06, 2017

I know they will be hard to implement at some stations, but it is time for the implementation of a turnstile system. It could easily be like the turnstiles in Boston, which physically bar you from fare jumping, and if you crawl under them it blares an alarm and takes your photo. Either we go the route of turnstiles or we inundate the system with uniformed police officers 24 Hours per day.

How would turnstiles have prevented this crime? Is there evidence that one or the other of the people involved were fare hopping?