Officials from local transit agencies, law enforcement, and the union representing Seattle-area bus drivers met with the King County Council on Monday to discuss what can be done to improve transit safety for operators and riders.

King County Metro workers are calling for an urgent response to safety concerns as county council members explore solutions. The King County Committee of the Whole held its first meeting of the year on Monday with transit safety as the topic of discussion.

The stabbing of Metro operator Shawn Yim in December led elected officials to take safety and security more seriously, in a Monday brainstorming session.

The Metro Transit Police, which is operated by the King County Sheriff's Office, currently has a staff of 69 officers with funding for 79 full-time positions. At Monday's meeting, Sheriff Patti Cole-Tindall announced the agency is now increasing the available funding for full-time officers to 89.