MBTA Police Chief Paul MacMillan and Deputy Chief Joseph O’Connor met this morning with Local 589 to address the growing number of assaults on T workers. President/BA John Lee, Recording Secretary John Clancy, Delegate Patrick Hogan, Assistant Secretary Peggy LaPaglia and Legislative Agent Richard Guiney meet with T Police leadership for two hours at Local 589’s office to express the Unions outrage at the assaults and talk over potential responses.
 
Chief MacMillan strongly affirmed the T Police Departments commitment to the safety of MBTA workers and riders and urged that the Department and the Boston Carmen’s Union cooperate more closely to improve response times and investigations. Chief MacMillan explained that T Police are now contacting Local Police Departments when bus drivers report incidents with the idea that local police will be able to respond in their areas and T police can take over when they arrive. Chief MacMillan also noted that operator and employee assaults are being assigned priority status by his Department.
 
President Lee and Chief MacMillan also discussed filing legislation to strengthen the MBTA Police “right to arrest” powers that would allow for more on-site solutions to situations. Chief MacMillan also urged all MBTA workers to report all incidents and patterns of confrontations to supervisors and the T Police noting that documenting incidents allows the police to address them more effectively.
 
Chief MacMillan pledged an increased communications between the Boston Carmen’s union and the Department and will attend a Local 589 membership meeting in the near future to talk directly with members.