King County Regional Task Force

The King County Regional Transit Safety Task Force is an action-focused coalition created to confront urgent safety challenges on transit and deliver a unified, countywide effort

This is a multi-phase process that is underway now across the region. Each step builds on the last, with agencies, workers, and community partners driving the work forward together.

Phase 1: Regional Task Force Kickoff

The process begins with a regionwide convening of over 120 stakeholders representing operators, riders, union leaders, law enforcement, dispatch, community organizations, public health, and local governments. This shared space identifies urgent safety challenges and systemwide gaps, establishing common priorities and setting the foundation for coordinated action.
Phase 2: Collaborative Solution Design

Through cross-sector working groups, solutions take shape. Participants include transit staff, agency leaders, behavioral health experts, safety professionals, and advocates. Each idea is tested for feasibility, grounded in operational realities, and shaped with equity and long-term alignment in mind.
Phase 3: Leadership Commitment and Regional Safety Plan

The most supported and practical solutions are brought into a single, public-facing plan. Leadership across agencies, labor, and local jurisdictions align around this strategy to move forward together. A formal briefing to the King County Council marks the transition from design to implementation.
Phase 4: Regional Implementation and Council Reporting

Solutions move into action through a coordinated implementation strategy that defines roles, timelines, and measures of success. Some efforts launch immediately, while others are staged over time. A formal progress report is prepared for the King County Council in September 2025 to ensure transparency, alignment, and momentum.

A Unified Commitment to Transit Safety

The Regional Transit Safety Task Force was established to address urgent safety challenges impacting both transit operators and riders across King County.

Following the tragic death of Metro operator Shawn Yim, transit workers, agency leaders, and elected officials recognized the need for a coordinated, region-wide approach to safety. ATU Local 587 called for immediate action, and the King County Council passed a motion to formally create this Task Force and lead the work ahead with intention and care.

This is a shared commitment. Leaders from across the region are coming to the table, including public safety departments, county agencies, local mayors, community organizations, and all 39 cities served by the transit system. Together, we are building lasting strategies to improve response, strengthen coordination, support those on the front lines, and ensure transit is safe, welcoming, and dependable for everyone who relies on it.

It Take Us All

Reagan Dunn King County Council member 

“Our transit operators and riders deserve to work and commute in safety, and this requires a thorough and multi-jurisdictional regional effort.”
Greg Woodfill President of ATU Local 587 

“We must restore order, safety, and accountability for one’s actions on public transit. All politicians, police forces, and transit leaders in King County are responsible for and must work more closely together to improve public and transit safety. ”
Michelle Allison General Manager, King County Metro 

“We recognize the need for this task force because our agency alone cannot make our communities safer. We look forward to collaborating with cities and other partners to take meaningful actions to improve safety and security for everyone in the region.”
Bruce Harrell Mayor, City of Seattle

“Drivers and operators perform an essential duty every day, and Seattle’s voter-approved transportation levy includes $9 million for transit safety as we work to eliminate threats and impacts of violence that are completely unacceptable for riders and operators. ”
Dow Constantine CEO of Sound Transit

"It's a reminder to take a holistic approach to public safety. This forum is an opportunity to take solutions that are not just effective but wise and compassionate. "
Claudia Balducci Council member of King County Council 

"People must feel safe working and riding on our system if we are to meet these goals. With this motion, we are recommitting ourselves to building a foundation of safety and ensuring that every Metro employee and transit rider can safely reach their destinations."