TriMet began installing blue-light security phones that connect directly to the agency’s security hotline at the Rose Quarter Transit Center and the Convention Center Station this week.
The phones are housed in bright red towers with “Security” written down the side and a blue light on top. They also have a security camera, adding to the more than 8,000 cameras TriMet already has.
TriMet will install the phones at MAX stations along Interstate 84 from the Rose Quarter to the Gateway Transit Center in the coming weeks. The agency eventually will have them at most of its MAX stations and transit centers.
With the push of a single button, the phones connect to the same 24-hours-a-day security hotline that TriMet created in 2023 that riders can also reach by calling or texting 503-238-7433 (RIDE) on their own phones.
“Whether it’s reporting suspicious behavior, notifying us of graffiti or vandalism or requesting assistance, we want to hear from you. This allows us to take action and ensure our riders’ safety,” TriMet said in a news release.
For emergencies that require police assistance, riders should still call 911.
Even though almost everyone has a mobile phone, TriMet says the blue-light phones, which are prevalent on college campuses, provide another measure of security in case your phone battery is dead or cell service is interrupted.
The lights on top of the phones are not just to increase their visibility. “Blue-light security phones have been shown to increase overall awareness around security, deterring crimes from being attempted in the first place,” TriMet said. “After Rice University installed them in 2010, the school reported a decrease in crime, including a 68% drop in burglaries.”
— The Oregonian/OregonLive
