We had a couple questions about the City’s recent audit involving GRTC and fare enforcement (PDF), especially as it relates to arming fare enforcement officers. We asked new GRTC CEO Julie Timm about this, and she said, unequivocally, that “putting armed officers on our buses to issue court summons...is the wrong answer for our system and our community.”

Here’s her full statement:

Fare enforcement officers are required to have armed officer training in order to issue a summons; however, GRTC fare enforcers are not armed. Putting armed officers on our buses to issue court summons to our riders will not prevent fare evasion, and I do not believe anyone is suggesting we do that. It is the wrong answer for our system and our community.