Starting next week, officers with the Renton Police Department and Metro Transit will conduct emphasis patrols at the Renton Transit Center downtown on the look out for bad conduct.

The emphasis patrols come with the return of good weather and the likely increase of foot traffic at the transit center on South Third Street and Burnett Avenue South.

For the first week, officers will issue warnings to those who violate state laws that address unlawful transit conduct.

Starting June 10, the officers will issue citations.

Of course, officers can cite violators at any time, said Terri Vickers, a Renton police spokeswoman. But the idea is to encourage voluntary compliance, she said.

Smoking, littering, loitering, loud music, alcohol consumption/open container of alcohol, skateboarding, biking, and spitting are all prohibited at transit stations and on transit vehicles by RCW 9.91.025, to provide a safe and respectful

“While the crime rate at the transit center does not exceed other areas of the city, we recognize that our residents are concerned about criminal activity in the area.  In addition to our officers that are regularly assigned downtown and at the transit center, our Directed Enforcement Team will work with King County Sheriff’s Metro Bicycle Emphasis Enforcement Squad to remind would-be violators that the Renton Transit Center is not a place for unlawful activity,” said Renton Police Chief Kevin Milosevich.