A top MTA official said Wednesday that he expects an investigation into two recent instances of bus fare enforcement agents getting into violent tussles with riders will conclude next week, amid calls by some elected officials for the agency to stop using the teams.
MTA New York City Transit President Demetrius Crichlow gave the update during the agency’s Oct. 28 board meeting, in response to a question from board member Janette Sadik-Khan.
“I anticipate having the completion of the investigation mid to late next week,” Crichlow said.
He added that the agency is also conducting a separate, more comprehensive review of EAGLE Team operations in light of the incidents.
Last week, the MTA suspended EAGLE Team operations until it completes those probes.
The NYC Transit president’s comments came a day after the City Council’s Progressive Caucus called on the agency to permanently halt using the squads, dubbed Evasion and Graffiti Lawlessness Eradication (EAGLE) Teams, for bus fare enforcement. The teams are made up of unarmed civilian security officers.
While MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber declined to respond specifically to the lawmakers’ demand, he has insisted that EAGLE teams are a vital part of the agency’s strategy to combat fare beating on buses.
The probe is looking into two altercations that were both caught on video.
One incident that took place earlier this month involved EAGLE Team members allegedly roughing up and injuring a Brooklyn public school aide named Kyle Taylor. The other confrontation, the details of which are largely still unknown to the public, similarly saw fare agents throwing a man to the ground and restraining him in the Bronx in August.
Crichlow said the investigation is being conducted by a unit within NYC Transit called Special Investigations and Review, which reports directly to him. The group is looking into the department that oversees the EAGLE Teams: NYC Transit Safety and Security.
“That information will be shared with the chair, and I think some of the details will be shared with the board,” Crichlow said. “Particularly, what follow-up measures we’re going to be taking and how we’re going to address many of the issues that are found.”
However, it was unclear how much, if any, of the probe’s findings the MTA will make public.
Lieber added that the investigation could result in discipline for the fare agents, consistent with the agency’s collective bargaining agreement with their union.
During the meeting, the transit honchos fielded other questions raised by board members about the EAGLE Teams as well.
Board member David Jones questioned Crichlow about the hiring process for EAGLE Team members, many of whom are former law enforcement officers. He specifically asked whether the MTA reviews their backgrounds from the law enforcement agencies they previously worked for, including any past complaints lodged against them.
Crichlow appeared to respond that that is not the current practice because EAGLE Teams are civilians, but that it is something the agency is now exploring.
“We are conferring with HR and legal,” Crichlow said. “We’re looking into whether or not we can use the data of a person’s history as an NYPD officer or a Corrections officer and whether or not that is something that can be used for the hiring of the individual.”
Crichlow, in response to a reporter’s question during a news conference following the meeting, added that EAGLE Team members go through the same background checks as all other MTA employees.
During the question-and-answer session, Lieber was also asked if the MTA is considering fastening body-worn cameras, which are affixed to every NYPD officer, to fare agents.
“That’s one of the many things we’re taking a look at,” Lieber said in response.