By JACK DOVEY, Mayor of Federal Way

Federal Way is not Newark.

I want to inform the citizens of Federal Way of the positive and decisive steps our city is taking to eliminate criminal behavior of all types at the Federal Way Transit Center.

At a meeting organized by King County Council member and Sound Transit board member Pete von Reichbauer, I met with Sound Transit Deputy Chief Executive Ron Tober, Sound Transit Chief of Police Ron Griffin, and Federal Way City Council members Jim Ferrell and Jeanne Burbidge. We developed a comprehensive plan to address recent Federal Way Transit Center security issues.

We will not tolerate acts of disrespect and violence at the transit center. Period.

Highlights from the joint plan include:

• Install new high-resolution security cameras to monitor the pedestrian platform and parking garage.

• Re-position the transit center’s second security guard to be onsite during peak periods.

• Assign a Federal Way police officer to patrol the transit center area around the clock.

• Direct Sound Transit’s police chief to work closely with Federal Way’s police chief to continually improve security at the transit center.

As mayor, I am pledging to you that we will act swiftly and be tough on any individual or group that intends to engage or does engage in unlawful behavior at the transit center.

Federal Way will not tolerate criminal behavior in our city. We are not like Newark.