Sullivan: Bellevue to have cops on Eastside light rail trains
Apr 25, 2024, 6:13 AM | Updated: 8:25 am
Officers representing Bellevue's new light rail unit. (Photo courtesy of Bellevue Police)
(Photo courtesy of Bellevue Police)
Bellevue does not want to see the kind of crime and bad behavior on light rail trains that riders see through the Seattle area, and it’s created its own transit police force to prevent it.
You can expect to see uniformed Bellevue Police officers riding the light rail trains on the Eastside when service between Bellevue and Redmond begins on Saturday, and they are there for one reason.
“They’re there to provide that kind of guardianship and to also make sure that folks know that if there is crime or even the fear of crime we’re here to reduce it,” Bellevue Police’s Drew Anderson said.
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The new BLU unit was created just for this job, thanks to the leadership of the city council.
“We were very fortunate for the city council to give us approval to create this brand new unit,” Anderson said. “There’s going to be five officers, consisting of a sergeant and four actual uniform officers, and it will grow.”
This unit will not be doing fare enforcement, and it will work directly with the King County Sheriff’s Office, which runs the transit police for Sound Transit. The unit will be on the trains and around the six stations inside the Bellevue city limits.
“To make sure to provide riders and families the positive experience on a transit line and to really prevent any crime that could happen in the area,” Anderson said.
Riders are encouraged to report suspicious behavior or activity to this unit, as well as the transit police. Bellevue Police has also been working with other regional first responders to prepare for the inevitable accidents that will happen with this new line opening.
The trains cross several intersections at grade, putting trains, bikes, pedestrians and cars all in harm’s way if the public isn’t paying attention. Light rail has been running through Seattle’s Rainier Valley for years, and there are still accidents caused by cars, people and bikes going in front of trains.
“We are doing our part,” Anderson said. “The system is doing its part, but we’re also asking drivers and pedestrians to do their part. We know that this is new, and what’s the one thing we know when things are new, people are learning a new system,” Anderson. “There’s a little bit of change so we’re asking folks to be more vigilant and know that if there’s a train coming don’t try to dodge the arm.”
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The 6.6-mile starter line from the South Bellevue Station to the Redmond Technology Station opens to the public on Saturday. There is a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the downtown Bellevue station at 10 a.m. Service begins around 11 a.m.
The trains will run every 10 minutes from 5:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., seven days a week.
This line will eventually connect to Seattle, over Lake Washington, when construction and testing is complete. That is scheduled to happen in late 2025.
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