Taborn on the Ropes?

The two Metro employees who pleaded guilty to stealing nearly a half million in fare revenue from Metro may not be the last heads to roll.

Rumors are swirling at the transit agency that Metro Transit Police Chief Michael Taborn (the guy you hear constantly blasting over the loudspeakers in the Metro stations) is about to be forced out.

Several sources close to the police force say the theft incident could have been the last straw for Taborn.

Back in January, several sources alleged that Taborn's reduction of police officers involved in the escorting of Metro's revenue was a factor in the theft.

Said one source:

Consider that for 30 years, when the system was much more cash heavy, they protected revenue the same way and nobody stole any real money. He comes in and immediately “fixes” a system that was not broken (unlike most things at Metro) and then we have a big inside job theft. And why do they fix things that aren’t broken, but can’t fix things that are broken?

In January of last year, Metro cops started a petition seeking Taborn's removal.

Taborn was also criticized by fellow officers for playing fast and loose with the facts about increasing the number of police on patrol in the system.

Another major factor, sources say, is a recent, scathing report by the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP). The report, one source said, described the MTPD as "stuck in the stone age, top heavy and unstable because too many supervisors are rotated too many times."

Rumor is Sarles was not pleased.

Several sources said Sarles may be considering some of his buddies from New Jersey Transit, where he used to work, to fill the gap.

Sarles has cut his top cop before. Back in New Jersey he fired NJ Transit police chief Joseph Bober, amid complaints of sexual discrimination.

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