Crime down and police presence up on Metro Transit, but data questions remain

On October 3, Joseph Denny Nezperce, 36, was shot and killed on Metro Transit’s Green Line near Minneapolis’ Stadium Village station. In the wake of his death, transit officials have sought to assure users – present and potential – that such crimes, while tragic, are increasingly rare. Data made available by Metro Transit seems to bear that out. The number of serious crimes in Metro Transit buses, trains, stations and parking lots has fallen from highs in 2023, aligning with the implementation of the agency’s Safety and Security Action Plan, completed in 2022. Officials say the plan is working and cite rider reports of increased feelings of safety. What’s less clear to riders, though, is where and on what form of transit the crime that’s still happening is taking place. Related: Metro Transit’s Green Line Extension will open in June. Its competitors are … excited? While Metro Transit officials said they’re looking at crime through the lens of geographic area, boarding loca