METRO launches special homeless team to tackle rising issues along routes

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- METRO Police investigators say they have identified the man they believe used a baseball bat to assault another man at a northside light rail platform. Nobody is under arrest, but investigators say the suspect was not a light rail customer.

Thursday's assault is the latest in several high-profile attacks on METRO routes. A few weeks ago, one man was stabbed to death during an altercation with another man on the purple line on Rusk Street in downtown Houston.

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Despite that, riders who spoke to ABC13 said they feel generally safe while using public transit.

"The many times I've ridden, it's pretty good. I feel safe," Frank Macias said as he was buying a light rail ticket on Friday. "They could do better, but during times I ride, I feel safe."

ABC13 asked METRO for statistics involving crime and safety with the agency.

Officials pointed to an extensive 2022 fiscal year report, which offers an in-depth look at METRO's safety statistics.

The report shows that from January to November this year, METRO has fluctuated between 90 to 130 major incidents a month, spread amongst all of its sprawling properties. The statistics do not show a major rise or fall, or any obvious trends.

However, data with METRO do show one startling fact. While assaults and crimes along the light rail line get most of the attention, the majority of incidents happen actually at bus stops. That stems in part from the simple fact that there are many more METRO bus stops than rail stops.

Among many crime reduction efforts, one of the major efforts the agency began this year is a new Homeless CARES initiative. A team of METRO officers patrols downtown and the Medical Center daily, with a specific focus on helping the homeless population that often congregates around METRO's facilities.

"We felt that METRO experiences a lot of homelessness on the system and we just felt like we had to deal with those individuals," a member of the CARES team, Sgt. Alex Edwards said. "Sometimes, they just need a little food or even water... Now we have customers who are dealing with homelessness reach out to those people on an individual basis."

Sgt. Edwards said he believes the Homeless CARES team will not only help the homeless who need it but also curb assaults and fights that occur along METRO routes, sometimes with homeless individuals attacking each other.

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