To improve service to our riders and the communities we serve, the Metro Transit Police Department recently re-established several beats, assigning officers to focus on defined geographic areas. Here, we introduce you to Ofc. Juan Peralta, a downtown Minneapolis beat officer who gets to know riders, staff, and business owners by being a visible presence at busy boarding areas.
Other police beats are focused on the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport terminal stations and on the University Avenue corridor between Fairview Avenue and Lexington Parkway.
Are you looking to join a department where officers spend most of their time outside squad cars and in the community? We're hiring! Learn more about joining MTPD at metrotransit.org/transit-police-careers.
Tell us about your career and how you came to work at the Metro Transit Police Department.
I've been interested in transit since I was child and regularly rode buses and trains in my hometown of Mexico City. I became interested in policing when I was in college. I spent nearly 25 years in active and reserve military service, an experience that helped solidify my interest in law enforcement. My career with the Metro Transit Police Department began around 10 years ago, shortly after then Chief John Harrington retired from the St. Paul Police Department and brought his vision and best practices of community policing to MTPD.
What do you like about working at the Metro Transit Police Department?
I like that I get to be a part of MTPD's growth and evolution. When I came here, this was a small but growing agency and people were open to looking at new and better ways to do things. This agency embraces innovation to improve efficiency and customer satisfaction and prioritizes training, education, and growth for its personnel.
You’ve recently been assigned to the downtown Minneapolis beat. What do you like about this role?
It is exciting to be able to focus on a defined area. It allows for a deeper level of familiarity with the community. My partner and I focus on downtown Minneapolis, and if you look at it, it is really a small area. That allows us to move around on foot, on bicycles, in a patrol car, on the train, and on the bus. That is really the distinction between us and the regular patrol officers, who have a much larger area of responsibility. By focusing on a smaller area, we get to know people and really focus on important quality-of-life issues.
What do you like to do outside of work?
I enjoy spending weekends with my Boston Terrier Bessie, going on long walks and to dog parks around Minneapolis. I also love camping and have a small trailer that I like to take to northern Minnesota or all the way up to the Canadian border. There are also a lot of great regional parks not far from the Twin Cities that I enjoy.