At a Board meeting on Thursday, two key motions were passed that will significantly increase the law enforcement presence and coordination across LA’s public transit network.

More Officers, Security Personnel on Patrol

Under a motion introduced by Mayor Karen Bass, the Metro will deploy considerably more public safety staff across the system, including:

• Additional law enforcement officers
• Extra transit security guards
• More “ambassador” personnel to assist riders

As Bass stated, while weekday ridership hit nearly 1 million passengers in March, the recent uptick in criminal activity “threatens to derail this progress if we cannot ensure the safety of those who want and need to use the bus and rail system.”

The mayor emphasized that protecting rider safety is crucial to maintaining and growing Metro’s customer base after the pandemic ridership drops.

Unified Command of Police Forces

Another approved motion by LA County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath calls for establishing a “unified command” structure coordinating the multiple law enforcement agencies that police Metro’s transit lines.

This unified front will involve integrating forces like Metro security, LAPD, LA County Sheriff’s Department and Long Beach Police to strategically deploy a total of 260 officers patrolling the Metro system daily.

Horvath’s motion also requested the LAPD, Sheriff’s Department and Long Beach PD send representatives to June’s Board meeting. They will discuss safety tactics and clarify how the partnership will enhance security presence.

Stepped-Up Security Measures

Some Board Directors pushed for even more aggressive measures beyond additional officers. Inglewood Mayor James Butts was critical of Metro’s perceived sluggishness in tackling safety issues, despite his urging over nine years.

Butts advocated for restricting entry only to paid riders through gated access and using facial recognition technology to identify potential threats.

While he acknowledged crimes remain relatively infrequent on Metro, Butts noted “because it’s Metro, every one of them will be reported” and shape public perceptions of insecurity.

With its multipronged approach of substantially increasing law enforcement patrols, improving coordination between police agencies and considering new security technologies, LA’s Metro system is taking major steps to curb the rise in transit crimes and restore public confidence in safety.

Riders should soon notice a much more robust security presence during their commutes. Whether these enhanced measures can effectively deter criminal activity and protect passengers remains to be seen, but the Metro Board has made public safety its current top priority. I sincerely hope you find this “LA Metro to Brings Back 260 Officers Daily – How Will This Impact Public Safety?” article helpful.

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