Rally outside RTA headquarters in Cleveland calls to defund transit police
Clevelanders for Public Transit say police force increased while ridership decreased, says disproportionately affects Blacks
CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) - The crowd of about twenty chanted, “Money for service, not for police” outside the RTA headquarters on West 6th Street right before the RTA Board Meeting.
“Black, brown riders are more disproportionately targeted by RTA police,” says organizer Dana Beveridge, of Clevelanders for Public Transit. “We’re asking for the decriminalization of fare evasion.”
The group says citations for fare evasion are a criminal misdemeanor, putting more minorities into the criminal system. They also lobbied for more money to restore service.
“The $14 million budget that goes to the transit police right now annually, for half of that money to go to restoring service,” says Beveridge.
Linda Krecic, the RTA spokesperson, says the public doesn’t have the same agenda.
“Our surveys show that they actually want more police presence, not less,” she says.
Krecic says RTA police only issue citations after multiple warnings and “fare enforcement is the least of what they do. The most of what they do is keep people safe.”
The group dispersed at 9 a.m. when the board meeting began.
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