Meeting_Body
SYSTEM SAFETY, SECURITY AND OPERATIONS COMMITTEE
APRIL 14, 2016
Subject/Action
SUBJECT: MONTHLY UPDATE ON TRANSIT POLICING PERFORMANCE
ACTION: RECEIVE AND FILE
Heading
RECOMMENDATION
Title
RECEIVE AND FILE monthly update on Transit Policing performance.
Issue
ISSUE
On September 4, 2014, the board requested that staff provide a monthly update on transit policing performance to Systems Safety and Operations Committee. Specifically, the board requested monthly updates on criminal activity, fare enforcement, response time, deployment and perception of safety.
Discussion
DISCUSSION
In February 2016, staff continues to be proactive in working with Operations, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LASD), and Communications in addressing perception of safety, criminal activity, fare enforcement, response time, and deployment.
In the new law enforcement services contract, staff is including key performance indicators as tools to track performance.
Below are the key highlights for February 2016:
Actions to Improve the Ridership Experience
• Staff is working with Communications to develop a marketing campaign for safety and security. Marketing materials have been distributed to the system and continue to circulate. Concurrently, staff is working on the Sexual Harassment Awareness campaign and is partnering with Communications and Peace Over Violence.
• Staff is continuing to increase presence on the system using new technologies and redeployment of personnel.
• High Visibility
o Transit Security Officers (TSO) and Los Angeles County Sheriffs have been engaging and interacting with patrons and operators to increase presence and increase the perception of safety on the Metro system.
§ TSO Bus Boarding Activity: The total number of TSO Bus Boardings for the month of February 2016 is 1,598. The total number of fare checks is 12,525.
§ LASD Bus Riding Team (BRT): The total number of BRT Bus Rides for the months of February 2016 is 1,095. The total number of fare checks is 44,219.
New Key Performance Indicators
As part of the new Law Enforcement Services Contract, the following additional key performance indicators listed below will be used for contract monitoring and compliance:
• Number of foot and vehicle patrols of bus stops, transit centers, train platforms/plazas/stations
• Ratio of staffing levels and vacant assignments
• Ratio of proactive versus dispatched activity
• Number of train boarding’s
• Number of grade crossing enforcement operations
Criminal Activity:
FEBRUARY 2016
Bus Operator Assaults:
• From January to February 2016, there were 17 operator assaults. Of the 17 total operator assaults, 35% of the total assaults have had a suspect taken into custody. The majority of bus operator assaults are fare related followed by no reason.
• Comparing January-February 2015 to January-February 2016, Operator Assaults have decreased 29%.
• Of the 17 total operator assaults from January to February 2016, there were 17 non-aggravated assaults. The method of assault was as follows: 7 used hands, 7 used spit, 2 threw cold liquid, and 1 threw an object.
• Attachment B contains the matrix for the suspects who have assaulted Bus Operators that LASD has been tracking.
• From January to February 2016, there were 103,847,337 bus boardings and 17 total operator assaults, equating to 1 bus operator assault per 6.1 million boardings.
Operator Safety:
• The Metro Communications team is rolling out a new marketing campaign targeted at reducing Bus Operator assaults. The campaign features photographs of Metro bus operators and their children and grandchildren, and the accompanying messages are emotional, first-person pleas from these children to respect and protect our operators and their families.
• The sustained campaign will be featured on all Metro buses and outdoor ads, at Metro bus divisions, and on metro.net and all Metro’s social media channels. Car cards are currently being posted in trains and on buses.
Significant Activities
• Staff has created a Metro Task Force to reduce the adverse impact of homelessness on the Metro Transit System. The goal of the task force is to develop a holistic, strategic approach combining policy, design features, enforcement, and providing services. Attachment C is a presentation detailing the actions of this task force.
• On 1/11/2016, on a Metro bus, 3 adult male suspects and 1 male juvenile suspect, began physically harassing an elderly male. The elderly man defended himself and was brutally beaten by all 4 of the suspects, who exited the bus prior to the arrival of LASD TPD Deputies. TPD Detectives and Crime Impact Team #I deputies used bus video to identify the suspect and track them down. On 02/23/2016 the last suspect was taken into custody. All suspects have been charged with assault with a deadly weapon by the LA County District Attorney and the investigation is ongoing.
Fare Enforcement:
• In February 2016, law enforcement performed 765,428 fare checks on the rails and Orange Line. In comparison, law enforcement performed 535,295 fare checks on the rails and Orange Line in February 2015. Based on the monthly targets, in February 2016 law enforcement had a 9% saturation rate.
Response Time:
• In February 2016, the average response time for “Calls for Service” (Emergency, Priority and Routine) for all rail lines and buses was 16.9 minutes.
• LASD currently complies with Metro’s Performance Metrics requirement of average of 30 minutes for calls for service. The response time for emergency calls was 7.2 minutes for February 2016.
Attachments
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment A - Transit Policing Division Report February 2016
Attachment B - Matrix of Bus Operator Assault Suspects
Attachment C - Presentation on Reducing the Adverse Impact of Homelessness on the Metro Transit System
Prepared_by
Prepared by: Alex Wiggins, EO System Security and Law Enforcement, (213) 922-4433
Reviewed_By
Reviewed by:
Stephanie Wiggins, Deputy Chief Executive Officer, (213) 922-1023
