Council presses for immediate security fixes at Moore Square GoRaleigh Station

Patel, transportation transit, told the council that public safety is a top priority and staff are pursuing layered measures — code of conduct updates, signage, camera upgrades, a bathroom redesign and increased coordination with Raleigh Police Department — to improve conditions at GoRaleigh Station and Moore Square.

"Public safety is a top priority and we're making decisions guided by data, partnering with Raleigh Police Department," Patel said, describing recent and planned short- and mid-term steps including an endorsed code of conduct and an executed camera contract.

Councilors pushed staff for faster action on immediately addressable problems. Councilor Lambert said closing the Wilmington Street breezeway should be a top priority and urged prompt fixes instead of a 12–18 month study. Councilor Lambert also warned that sealing access points could affect parking-deck users who rely on that entrance, asking staff to weigh tradeoffs.

David Walker, Transit Division, confirmed there is a daily security huddle at 12:00 at the top of the breezeway and that shift-level briefings occur; Councilors asked staff to require contractors to attend at that cadence. Chief Rico Boyce, Raleigh Police Department, said RPD will increase meeting frequency, shift quarterly meetings to monthly and take ownership of ensuring partners participate.

Patel described contractor and operator support measures: RATP Dev has introduced a two-part de-escalation course with a forthcoming mental-health component, the contractor added two road supervisors and two dispatchers for the next fiscal year, and Pool Road operations fixes (lighting, signage, gate repair) have been completed. Staff said the bathroom redesign (bids later this spring) and upgraded camera contract are intended to improve Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) features.

Councilors also questioned the trespass-notice process. Patel and Chief Boyce acknowledged gaps in communicating trespass notices to individuals and said the process is being improved.

Patel said longer-term options — including feasibility studies to reduce the number of access points or to evaluate alternate station locations — would likely be contracted through Wake Transit on-call services and take 12–18 months; several councilors asked staff to prioritize near-term, implementable changes first.

The council asked staff to provide a managers update that lists participating security contractors, daily-huddle attendance and a timetable for near-term changes. Staff said they will return with more information and bring the presentation to the Raleigh Transit Authority for review.