A 19-year-old’s Metrobus joy ride has prompted Metro officials to consider a near million-dollar plan to improve security at its eight bus depots.
Metro’s finance committee recently approved funding for the Metro Transit Police to hire an additional 17 “special police officers” to guard Metro’s bus yards.
The plan, if approved later this month at a meeting of Metro’s board of directors, would provide “24-7” security coverage at the transit agency’s bus lots, at an annual cost of $900,000. The program would cost Metro $525,000 for the remainder of the current fiscal year.
Metro Transit Police Chief Michael Taborn, when requesting the security funding, recounted this summer’s joy ride of William Jackson, who in Taborn’s words “acquired” a bus from one of Metro’s depots and completed several stops on one of the transit system’s regular bus routes.
“Picking passengers up along the way, Mr. Jackson eventually crashed into a tree and fled the bus on foot,” Taborn said.
Jackson, a District resident, told police he had a fascination with buses. Jackson was wearing a bus driver’s uniform when he snuck into Metro’s Bladensburg bus lot and drove away with one of the vehicles.
Jackson made several stops along the B2 bus route before crashing the vehicle near the corner of 17th Street and Massachusetts Avenue Southeast.
Jackson has pleaded guilty to charges of unauthorized use of a motor vehicle and is scheduled for sentencing Nov. 8.
Taborn said his police department since Jackson’s stunt has been spending about $5,000 a day on overtime pay for police officers to guard three of Metro’s bus yards. Metro Transit Police would spend $1.9 million annually on overtime pay under the current arrangement.
“Special” police officers do not require the same training as regular Metro police officers and do not receive equal pay, Taborn explained.
“They are sworn, but they are not always armed,” he said. “Their training is not as extensive, nor are their salaries.”
Taborn said his department employs 145 special police officers to help guard the agency’s facilities.
Metro spokeswoman Cathy Asato said five Metrobuses have been stolen from depots since 2005, including Jackson’s theft.
“It’s uncommon,” she said.
