Wait, Does This Have Something To Do With Why Metro Fares Keep Increasing?

Photo by PoPville flickr user sciascia

From a WMATA press release:

Metro General Manager and CEO Richard Sarles today ordered several immediate actions today following the arrest of two Metro employees for alleged theft of revenue in connection with their jobs at the Authority.

The employees – Metro Transit Police Officer John Vincent Haile, 54, of Woodbridge, and Revenue Technician Horace Dexter McDade, 58, of Bowie, Md. — were arrested by Metro Transit Police (MTPD) and charged with conspiring to commit theft from programs receiving Federal funds.

An investigation was initiated in October 2011, when financial irregularities were brought to the attention of Metro’s Office of Inspector General (OIG). The investigation was conducted jointly by MTPD, Metro OIG, the FBI, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia, Alexandria Police and the Commonwealth’s Attorney for the City of Alexandria.

Revenue technician McDade had responsibilities for collecting revenue at Metrorail stations. Officer Haile worked as part of a specialized team within MTPD assigned to protect revenue collection.

Metro General Manager and CEO Richard Sarles ordered several immediate actions today:

• Officer Haile has been suspended without pay and is in the process of being terminated. Technician McDade also has been suspended.
• The Chief Financial Officer will immediately bring in forensic accountants to conduct a thorough review of control systems and management over revenue systems to fully understand how wrongdoing occurred and to implement tighter detection systems. The review will take place concurrently with ongoing efforts of the Office of Inspector General.
• The supervisor responsible for the revenue facility has been relieved of his duties.
• Metro Transit Police Chief Michael Taborn will conduct a top-to-bottom assessment of all policies and procedures pertaining to MTPD officers assigned to the Revenue Collection Unit – a process that may include reassignment of employees assigned to the Unit as the OIG and internal reviews are conducted.

Sarles expressed his appreciation for the assistance of the FBI, the Alexandria Police Department, the Commonwealth Attorney for the City of Alexandria, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and Metro’s Office of Inspector General.

Just saying – a lot of metro fare increases…