TriMet wants to give itself the authority to ban problem riders for more than a year, and in some cases for life.

The transit agency, under its own code, can bar riders for no longer than six months. That's based on the philosophy that the agency shouldn't deny access to public transportation for lengthy periods of time.

But six months hasn't proved much of a deterrent in the case of Jared Walter, known as the "TriMet Barber," officials say. Walter has been arrested repeatedly since 2009 for cutting or masturbating in women's hair aboard buses.

He was last arrested in May, on suspicion of harassment and interfering with public transportation, and police said he was again seen cutting a woman's hair on a TriMet bus.

"This did stem from the case of Jared Walter," TriMet spokeswoman Roberta Altstadt said.

The proposed change comes two months after a stabbing left two men dead and critically injured another. Troubling incidents have grabbed headlines in the weeks since, and TriMet has added police patrols and contracted security workers in response.

The agency has reported that crime has fallen overall in recent years. Crime reported against TriMet employees, however, increased in 2015. The agency will release its most recent crime statistics, covering 2016, later this week.

The ordinance that will go before the TriMet governing board on Wednesday would allow the agency's general manager to issue long-term exclusions in the case of a "serious physical offense."

The ordinance outlines an exclusion of six months to a year for first-time offenders and a year or more for second offenses. It also would give the general manager discretion to issue a longer exclusion after a single offense if the rider poses a "serious threat" to others.

Such threats would include sexual assault, an assault with a weapon or an attack that resulted in serious injury or death.

The ordinance also would allow the general manager waive a 10-day waiting period before exclusions take effect. The waiting period gives riders a chance to appeal the exclusion.

An offender who's banned for more than a year would have the right to appeal the ongoing exclusion once every 12 months. A hearings officer could overturn the ban if the person no longer poses a threat. Victims of the crime that prompted the exclusion would be allowed to make a statement.

The longer-term exclusions aren't intended to target simple fare evaders, TriMet officials said.

A 2016 study by a Portland State University researcher found that black MAX riders caught without fare were more likely to be banned from the transit agency than whites and other groups.

PSU criminology professor Brian Renauer also found, however, that the difference was too small to indicate systemic disparity in the transit agency's fare enforcement practices. Renauer was hired by TriMet to conduct the review.

The agency is trying to ease penalties on first-time fare evaders even as it increases security and fare inspections. It's in the process of creating a process to handle fare evasion citations in-house, and in doing so lowering fines.

Prosecutors in the TriMet service area have also agreed to stop charging fare evaders with a misdemeanor, particularly because the charge was most frequently levied against riders of color.

"We are moving away from criminalizing fare evasion for first-time offenders," said Harry Saporta, TriMet's executive director of safety and security.

-- Elliot Njus

enjus@oregonian.com

503-294-5034

@enjus