Yesterday’s discussion on the Metro’s “not-so-responsible” brush cleanup has resulted in some good outcome.

Just to recap, Metro wanted to do the cleanup to improve public safety, however, it turned out it wasn’t quite exactly what the residents wanted. A more practical and effective approach to the safety situation would be to install surveillance cameras at the Metro entrance. Currently, Metro has cameras inside the tunnel (picture above), but not outside.

But then there was a sense of frustration. Everyone knew that cameras aren’t coming anytime soon, given the months and years we already have been waiting. Frustrated, one resident said: “Perhaps folks (Metro officials) [need] to recognize that we [residents] pay their salaries and they work for us.  Remember…its the squeaky wheel that gets the attention.  Our wheels have yet to squeak.”

Yes indeed, we ought to squeak our wheels to get the grease – aka attentions. Unless we raise our voices, we’ll probably have to wait for another assault or violent crime to happen to hear something again from them.

So here is what we did together to get that attention – we decided to have a camera petition drive to WMATA (Metro). We quickly put together an online petition on the petitononline.com.

Please see the petition here: http://www.petitiononline.com/z1237654/petition.html. Here is what the petition says:

To:  WMATA

We, the undersigned residents of north College Park are concerned about public safety in the area around the western entrance to the Greenbelt Metro station. The area has seen a number of frequent and often violent crimes such as assaults, thefts and muggings. Recently, a 15 year-old teenager was sexually assaulted by a lone perpetrator in broad daylight.

We believe that the only way to address such excessive crime in this area is to install surveillance cameras at the entrance of the Metro station and along the pathway that leads to the nearby neighborhood.

We ask WMATA to take immediate action to install these cameras at the suggested locations and make Metro riders from our neighborhood feel safe.

Sincerely,

The Undersigned

We’re also planning to collect signatures from Metro riders during morning and afternoon rush hours at the Metro entrance. A number of volunteers have already signed up to volunteer in this petition drive. If you want to volunteer, please let me know.

So far the online petition drive is a success. Just in a day, some 48 residents have signed the petition (Thanks to each one of you!). More will certainly be signing up soon. If you haven’t signed up yet, please do so – soon. Remember again, squeaky wheels get the most grease.

Here are a few comments from those who signed up the petition.

  • A security camera outside of the Greenbelt Metro station along the path to Lackawanna Street is long overdue. Many people have been mugged or robbed along this path. This is the least that WMATA can do to help ensure the safety of its users along this path.
  • This is long overdue. WMATA needs to demonstrate they care about the safety of their customers
  • Safety Safety Safety … It’s all about Safety. Do the right thing and protect Metro customers.
  • Security is an issue at this metro station, particularly when exciting the back path to the Hollywood neighborhood.
  • This is safety issue for all Metro customers as well as residents of the neighborhood who do not use Metro. Thank you.
  • Needed very badly
  • Metro is once again behind the eight ball and deservedly so.
  • Please Install Surveillance camera at greenbelt metro
  • Considering the jurisdictional issues and difficulty of providing a consistent police presence, the installation of surveillance cameras on the west side of the station and along the pathway to Lackawanna Street is an appropriate way to improve safety for Metro riders and the local community.
  • cameras and lighting must provide recorded views sharp enough to identify suspects along entire length of path on WMATA property
  • Surveillance Cameras & Better Lightning Badly Needed @ Greenbelt Metro Station. What’s going to take? A Death? Please advise!
  • Safety and security of the patrons should and must be one of the top service goals for metro.
  • These cameras are obviously needed.
  • This is an imperative that you get this done ASAP. Plus have someone monitoring the cameras and also install a set of alarm boxes that people may use along and at the end of the path.
  • Your station exit is in a very dark area, and crime is rising here. Don’t be a part of the problem; show that you care about your riders. THANK YOU.

Can Metro hear these voices?