PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - The district attorneys for Multnomah, Washington and Clackamas counties say they’re going to cut back on prosecutions of people who evade paying fares for TriMet buses or trains.
The Oregonian/OregonLive reports (https://bit.ly/2hPn9Cc ) that prosecutors announced the move on Tuesday. They say it’s in response to a Portland State University study in December and their own research that found African American riders caught on trains without paying faced bans from riding TriMet at a significantly higher rate than white riders.
Prosecutors say they plan to stop pursuing criminal charges against hundreds of fare evaders caught annually. Exceptions will be made in cases involving extreme circumstances or repeat offenders.
Those caught riding trains without paying will still be ticketed and fined by TriMet.
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Information from: The Oregonian/OregonLive, https://www.oregonlive.com
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