Meeting_Body
OPERATIONS, SAFETY, AND CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE COMMITTEE
OCTOBER 16, 2025
Subject
SUBJECT: MONTHLY UPDATE ON PUBLIC SAFETY
Action
ACTION: RECEIVE AND FILE
Heading
RECOMMENDATION
Title
RECEIVE AND FILE the Public Safety Report.
Issue
ISSUE
Metro is committed to providing outstanding trip experiences for all transportation system users. In furtherance of the Vision 2028 Plan, Metro implemented a multi-faceted plan to improve both safety outcomes and safety perceptions for riders and employees. The following summarizes current initiatives to accomplish this objective and recent public safety trends.
Background
BACKGROUND
Within Metro’s Public Safety Mission statement, the agency recognizes that every individual is entitled to a safe, dignified, and humane experience. In March 2023, the Board adopted a revised Code of Conduct, a Bias-Free Policing Policy, and a Public Safety Analytics Policy to avert racial profiling and bias in the deployment of Metro security and contract law enforcement services. In 2024, Metro enhanced its public safety model further by adopting a three-pronged strategy consisting of 1) increasing the engaged and visible presence of uniformed personnel, 2) improving access control to ensure the system is being used only for its intended purpose of transit, and 3) strengthening partnerships to address societal issues impacting our transit system, including homelessness, untreated mental illness, drug addiction, and crime, with the County, cities, regional agencies, and nonprofit partners. The actions described in this report align with numerous initiatives to improve safety and the perception of safety on the system.
Discussion
DISCUSSION
The Metro Department of Public Safety (DPS) is responsible for overseeing safety initiatives on the Metro system, working in coordination with other departments, including Operations, Customer Experience, Risk, Corporate Safety, and Asset Management. DPS forms the foundation of Metro’s comprehensive approach to safety and security, focused specifically on protecting customers and employees by mitigating against crime and other societal issues impacting the transit system, enforcing Metro’s Code of Conduct, ensuring the safety and hard security of Metro’s facilities, directing the deployment of law enforcement and private security presence throughout the system, and proactively identifying and addressing other areas of possible concern.
The following is a snapshot of activities, performance, and outcome-related data for August, the most recent month for which systemwide law enforcement data is available.
OVERVIEW
As Metro strives to continually improve and more accurately measure the impact of its public safety initiatives, staff has established the following outcomes, which are strategically focused on the CEO’s three-pronged approach.
• Continue to increase monthly ridership. In August, Metro ridership was 25,257,515, which is a 6.3% increase since staff first observed a decrease in ridership this past June (23,751,607). In fact, this month’s ridership also exceeds ridership from June 2024 (25,181,475), indicating that Metro is trending back in the right direction. There was a 6.7% decrease compared to the same month of August during the previous year (25,257,515 vs. 27,066,446). Many factors influence ridership patterns, including closures due to holidays, construction and changes in people’s daily routines. Tracking monthly ridership numbers allows staff to assess the overall effectiveness of all three safety initiatives.
• Ensure access to the system is used solely for transit. Metro’s proactive strategy, which includes fixed security posts of uniformed personnel, roving patrols, frequent station and cleaning, physical security and environmental improvements, has led to significant improvements in access control and safety, as well as noticeable positive changes in cleanliness across the Metro system's ancillary areas. The notable improvements in cleanliness, as well as the reduction and removal of encamped areas, coupled with increased enforcement and accountability for those who trespass in the ancillary areas, are positive measures of the effectiveness of Metro’s access control safety improvement strategies and tactics. Law enforcement made 228 trespassing arrests, and there was one arrest of an individual from the ancillary areas, initiated by Contract Security (CS) after an ancillary alarm was triggered.
• Connect homeless riders to housing. Metro Homeless Outreach Management & Engagement (HOME) referred 207 people to interim housing and placed 21 people into permanent housing in August, bringing the total to 424 connections to housing for FY26. Meeting 20% of the FY26 goal of 2,100 connections, HOME teams continue to demonstrate their effectiveness in addressing societal issues, specifically homelessness.
• Facilitate the reduction of violent crime. Crimes Against Persons (violent crimes) systemwide decreased by 10.7% in August 2025 compared to July (158 vs. 177), marking the lowest total for August systemwide since 2021. This was mainly due to decreases in aggravated assaults and robberies. When compared to August 2024, Crimes Against Persons decreased by 21.4% in August 2025 (158 vs. 201).
• Facilitate the reduction of property crime. Crimes Against Property decreased in August 2025 by 4.1% (71 vs. 74) compared to the previous month due to decreases in thefts. When compared to August 2024, Crimes Against Property increased by 4.4% in August 2025 (71 vs. 68).
• Facilitate the reduction of narcotics, trespassing, and other crimes against society. Arrests for Crimes Against Society increased by 10.4% in August 2025 compared to the previous month (383 vs. 347) due to increases in narcotics and trespassing arrests. This could be attributed to the Los Angeles Sheriff Department’s (LASD) undercover operations at Filmore Station in response to an increase in narcotic activity in the area, resulting in a total of five arrests. The Los Angeles Police Department also conducted crime suppression for a day around North Hollywood Station, making a significant arrest for narcotics and two loaded firearms. When compared to August 2024, Crimes Against Society decreased by 60.5% in August 2025 (383 vs. 970). More details can be found in the Systemwide Crime Stats section below. Metro reviews crimes against society to measure the effectiveness of partnerships in addressing societal issues and access control.
Safety improvement and crime mitigation strategic responses to outcome trends are included in subsequent sections.
CUSTOMER COMMENTS
Metro believes in continuously listening to, learning from, and responding to customer feedback. Using various sources, including Metro’s social media accounts, the Transit Watch app, and the Customer Call Center, staff assessed the public comments and sentiment of the Metro system. DPS monitors general sentiment, while actionable security concerns are reported in weekly calls with security and maintenance teams. Any customer comments about criminal activity are forwarded to law enforcement for investigation and reporting.
The number of security-related reports submitted on the Transit Watch app decreased month-over-month from July to August, dropping from 4,563 to 3,939, mainly due to a decline in graffiti reports. The Security Operations Center’s Security Control Specialists met the department’s FY26 target alert reaction times of 120 seconds, with an initial reply of 34 seconds in August. This target reaction time ensures a faster process for determining the proper resources to dispatch for response and improving the initial actions at the onset of a call for service.
Overall Sentiment and Engagement
Public sentiment on safety and security is assessed by analyzing social media and Transit Watch app reports from the public, as well as Ambassadors, Contract Security, and Law Enforcement. Most reports from the Transit Watch app come from Ambassadors and Contract Security; therefore, the monthly sentiment data may reflect their perspectives more than those of transit riders.
In August, the overall sentiment about safety and security increased from the previous month. Just as in the prior month, the most positive comment was about the system's visible security presence, highlighting the new faregates at stations.
• August 15 - A post on Reddit titled “I had a fun Metro Day trip today!” generated positive engagement, where the rider noted the new taller faregates at several stations along the B Line.
Like previous months, the Facilities/Infrastructure topic remained the most discussed, driven by a high volume of Transit Watch reports by Ambassadors and the public. There were 12,453 mentions in August, a 7% decrease compared to July. Most of these engagements mention graffiti at stations or malfunctioning fare gates, displays, or elevators, which tend to carry a negative sentiment. The DPS collaborates with other Metro departments and law enforcement partners on a weekly basis to coordinate efforts and develop solutions for these reported issues.
From July to August, the topics that are directly tied to personal safety, like fights and harassment, increased by 10%. These findings have been shared in DPS’s Public Safety Operations, Communications, Analytics, and Intelligence meeting for department leadership awareness, collaboration with our contracted lead enforcement agencies, and potential impacts on deployments. When discussing safety and security at specific Metro stations, the following stations garnered the most conversations in August:
1. Westlake/MacArthur Park Station - mainly due to discussions primarily focused on significant improvements in fare evasion prevention efforts and facility improvements
2. Union Station - driven by positive responses to enhanced security presence
3. Wilshire/Vermont Station - primarily due to positive mentions of new taller fare gates at the station
Most Common Customer Concerns
To assess the most common customer concerns from the public, Metro looked at incidents submitted through the Transit Watch app by the public. The three most reported types of incidents are property crime related to graffiti (30% of reported incidents), smoking/alcohol/drugs (23% of reported incidents), and fights or disturbances (17% of reported incidents). Below are the top three locations for each incident type for August 2025:
1. Graffiti - Sierra Madre Villa Station, Vermont/Beverly Station, and North Hollywood Station, where several reports were received for graffiti inside of elevators
2. Smoking/Alcohol/Drugs - 7th Street/Metro Center Station, Westlake/MacArthur Park Station, and Willowbrook/Rosa Parks Station, where riders have reported seeing people doing drugs at the stations and smoking inside the trains
3. Fights or Disturbances - Westlake/MacArthur Park Station, Slauson Station, and Washington Station, where reports were submitted for people arguing loudly and playing loud music on the platforms and on the trains
While the majority of ridership occurs on buses, most reports on the Transit Watch app focused on rail stations. Rider reports continue to highlight recurring issues related to graffiti and Code of Conduct violations (e.g., smoking, alcohol, and drug use) along the A, B, C, and E lines. This variance in reporting could be partially attributed to the fact that there are more factors to report about rail stations compared to buses, such as elevator/escalator issues, the mezzanine areas, and activities leading into a station. Even so, Metro promotes the Transit Watch app to all customers online through its website and social media channels, as well as through signage within the bus and rail system. Metro continuously works to identify ways to address customer feedback and concerns. MTS and Contract Security train riding teams continue to enforce and provide education on Metro’s Code of Conduct. These observations are shared during weekly meetings between public safety partners, and security patrols are adjusted at stations with the highest observations. More details on deployment are provided in the section below.
Additionally, DPS, along with Customer Experience, actively works on mitigating drug use on our system. Staff work collaboratively with other public safety personnel to regularly review various data sources and adjust deployments of uniformed personnel. Law Enforcement, MTS, and Contract Security enforce the penal code and Code of Conduct, respectively. LAPD and LASD actively disrupt narcotics distribution when it is observed or reported by an employee or rider. In August, LAPD and LASD made 127 arrests (LAPD - 117; LASD - 10) for narcotics, while MTS cited zero individuals for smoking/vaping. In comparison, LAPD and LASD made 68 arrests (LAPD - 60; LASD - 8) for narcotics in July, while MTS cited two individuals for smoking/vaping. Metro’s public safety personnel are also equipped with Narcan and administer it as needed to individuals experiencing symptoms of an overdose (refer to Attachment A for more details). More details are included in the Deployment section of this report.
ENGAGED & VISIBLE DEPLOYMENT
The following are Metro’s public safety personnel's deployment activities for August, which are intended to promote the safe access and usage of the transit system, as well as prevent and reduce crime or other societal issues within the system.
Law Enforcement
LAPD and LASD enforce the penal and municipal code on the system, including conducting trespass investigations. The table below represents law enforcement’s efforts for August.
In August, the two law enforcement agencies made 641 arrests and issued 868 citations. Law enforcement citations and warnings are not related to fare evasion but are given for trespassing, loitering, and moving violations. Details on the demographics of individuals arrested can be found in Attachment B. Law enforcement’s separate homeless outreach teams also engage with unhoused individuals on the system and offer available services; more details can be found in Attachment C.
Transit Security
A primary role of MTS is fare enforcement and Code of Conduct enforcement. In August, Transit Security Officers issued 33 citations and 47 written warnings. Refer to Attachment D for more details on MTS activity and deployment this month, and a demographic breakdown of those cited.
In addition to these enforcement responsibilities, MTS also engages in educating patrons about having valid fare media on their TAP cards, explaining how TAP-to-Exit works at end-of-line stations, and overseeing the weapons detection pilot at designated stations.
All the violations were due to individuals failing to provide proof of fare. Approximately 83% of these violations were issued at TAP-to-Exit locations: Downtown Santa Monica (4%), Downtown Long Beach (5%), and APU/Citrus (1%). Although the TAP-to-Exit program has been paused at Union Station and North Hollywood Station since April 10, MTS continues its efforts to deter those attempting to access the system for non-transit purposes in violation of the Code of Conduct and those failing to provide proof of fare by conducting fare checks as riders are exiting these stations (Union Station (30%) and North Hollywood (48%)). This is shown by the citations still being issued at those stations. Metro will continue these efforts as the results show strong safety metrics and responsiveness to stated customer concerns about what makes them feel safe.
Metro Ambassadors
Metro Ambassadors provide support to riders, connect them to resources, and report safety incidents or maintenance needs, thereby helping to improve the perception of safety and the overall customer experience. In August 2025, Ambassadors were deployed on all rail lines as well as the G Line and the J Line. See Attachment E for more details on Ambassador deployments this month.
In August 2025, Ambassadors conducted 66,426 customer engagements and reported:
• 4,845 cleanliness issues (8% increase from July 2025)
• 2,127 graffiti incidents (20% decrease from July 2025)
• 744 elevator and escalator problems (19% increase from July 2025)
The increase in reported elevator and escalator problems is largely due to increased misuse, abuse, and vandalism, which could be partially attributed to students returning to school. Metro’s Facilities Contracted Maintenance will identify the stations with the highest number of issues and initiate more frequent sweeps to minimize outages, which can impact access and safety for older adults, people with disabilities, and other vulnerable users.
Bus Safety Teams
MTS Bus Safety Teams (BSTs) rotate across the top ten bus lines with reported incidents of operator assaults and bus lines with newly reported incidents of operator assaults and other significant security incidents to enforce Metro’s Code of Conduct. The BSTs are augmented with law enforcement support. In August, there were 1,626 and 8,718 bus boardings by LAPD officers and LASD deputies, respectively.* For more details on MTS activities, refer to Attachment D.
End of Line Operations
Contract Security (CS) officers offload trains at 11 end-of-line (EOL) rail stations. This operation deters patrons from riding the system without a valid fare while allowing train cleaning to maintain a clean and safe environment. Staff are seeing a substantial year-over-year decline in refusal rates. August 2025 also recorded a 94% decrease in offloading refusals compared to August 2024. This significant decline underscores the effectiveness of Metro’s ongoing strategies and interventions aimed at enhancing compliance and engagement.
In addition, MTS BSTs conducted EOL operations during Owl Service on the G Line to address bus operators' concerns about individuals refusing to alight buses at the end of the line. In August, these operations resulted in 117 removals at Chatsworth Station between August 4 and August 15 for non-compliance and 142 removals at North Hollywood Station between August 18 and August 29 for non-compliance. MTS officers focus on connecting individuals to homeless outreach services rather than issuing citations and warnings, unless the person is uncooperative. Homeless outreach workers are deployed at end-of-line stations to offer resources and services to mitigate unfavorable impacts in EOL station communities. Deployment of homeless outreach workers at EOL stations varies based on system wide needs and public safety priorities.
ACCESS CONTROL & STATION EXPERIENCE
Ancillary Areas Motion 30 Response - Quarterly Update
The following is a quarterly update outlining progress on securing and cleaning ancillary areas as required by Motion 30 (Attachment F) by Directors Bass, Horvath, Krekorian, Najarian, Solis, and Hahn. This Motion increased Contract Security at all subway stations and mandated more inspections of ancillary areas. During this time, response efforts shifted to prioritize arresting trespassers over removals. Two years after the initiative started in August 2023, significant improvements are evident in the continued trend of reduced trespassing removals and arrests.
The chart below illustrates the stark difference in trespasser removal and arrests between 2023, 2024, and the eight months of 2025, reflecting the effectiveness of Metro’s efforts to clean and secure ancillary areas in its underground rail stations.
Before August 2023, the primary action towards ancillary trespassers was removing them from the area. As the policy shifted from August to September 2023, the numbers also shifted, with a reduction in removals and an increase in arrests.
• In 2024, the average number of trespasser removals per month decreased by 95%, from 36.4 in 2023 to 1.8 in 2024. Now, for the eight months of 2025, there has been an average of 1.25 trespasser removals per month.
• Conversely, the average number of monthly arrests for trespassing increased by 186% in 2024 compared to 2023 (15 vs. 5.2). The average number has since dropped further to 3.2 for the eight months of 2025.
• Only 12.6% of trespassers were reported as arrests in 2023, but after the agency’s policy changed, from removing trespassers from the area to arresting them, and implementation began in August 2023, this number increased to 89% in 2024. This has since dropped somewhat to 73% for the first eight months of 2025.
Following the dual success of increased Contract Security presence and arrest actions, together with regular monitoring and cleanups, the number of trespassers encountered in the ancillary areas has been seriously reduced.
• The average number of trespassers encountered on a monthly basis declined from 42 in 2023 to 17 in 2024 to 4.5 during the period between January and August of 2025.
• Focusing on eight months (January to August), there were 355 trespassers in the ancillary areas in 2023. This number decreased by 53% in 2024 and decreased by another 75% in 2025 (166 in 2024 vs. 42 in 2025).
Due to the continued effectiveness of this policy change, the ancillary areas are now much cleaner, and the updated protocols effectively deter unauthorized access, addressing previous concerns and disruptions to critical infrastructure in these areas.
Maintenance
• Custodial Services continue to maintain the cleanliness of all ancillary areas along the B, D, E, and K lines by performing a weekly cleanup in each corridor.
• The maintenance team has increased the time for the audible alarm to activate when emergency exit doors at the B and D Line stations are entered by trespassers.
• The maintenance team is progressing with the installation of the upgraded Intrusion Detection System (IDS) with cameras, strobe lights, and announcements at the B and D Line ancillary areas. Installations are complete at Westlake/MacArthur Park, Vermont/Sunset, Pershing Square, and Vermont/Beverly stations.
o Before these targeted efforts began, special cleanup requests were received daily from at least 12 of the 16 underground stations on the B and D Lines.
o These requests decreased to once a week at two of the 16 stations, which was a direct result of the increased frequency of corridor inspections by Contract Security officers, maintaining an increased frequency of station corridor cleaning, and new cleaning products.
o The number of special cleanup requests has remained low for at least nine consecutive months.
• As part of these targeted efforts, Metro also updated standard operating procedures for chemical and staff safety and equipment to protect staff from potential exposure to untreated corridors.
Security
• 87 Contract Security officers continue to be deployed 24/7. As of May 17, 2025, Wilshire/Western and Wilshire/Normandie were temporarily closed due to ongoing construction, decreasing coverage from 24 to 22 subway stations on the B, D, E, and K lines. The stations reopened for revenue services on August 25, 2025.
• Contract Security inspects every ancillary area nine times daily and arrests any trespasser that they encounter. Contract Security efforts resulted in one trespassing arrest in ancillary areas in August.
• Contract Security continues to support ancillary cleaning efforts by providing security escorts for the Metro custodian staff during cleaning operations.
• Contract Security reports property damage and submits repair and clean-up requests received via the Metro Transit Watch app that occur outside the regularly scheduled clean-up times.
Station Experience Updates
Metro is committed to safety and partners with city officials and community groups, including local councils and businesses, to address challenges at various stations. Attachment G describes recent initiatives by the Station Experience team, including:
• To improve rider wayfinding from the western end of the Rail to Rail path to Fairview Heights K Line Station, staff installed new signage.
• To enhance natural surveillance at Azusa Downtown Station, staff worked collaboratively with the City of Azusa and Foothill Transit to upgrade the elevator programming, install environmental improvements, and introduce daily paid parking into the formerly underutilized parking structure. Within the first two weeks of completion, staff have seen a dramatic increase in parking utilization and visibly improved conditions.
Looking ahead, staff continue to identify hotspot stations with similar challenges to expand these best practice interventions. This includes the following:
• Staff are working with the City of Santa Monica to address the misuse of the emergency exit to trespass at Downtown Santa Monica Station.
• There are ongoing challenges with vandalism and illicit activity returning to Reseda Station. Staff is having Throne review their data to better understand the disproportionate pattern of vandalism and working to repair and restore station amenities that helped improve safety and cleanliness.
• Staff are working to coordinate a multi-pronged approach using HOME teams, fencing repairs, and technology advancements to address persistent break-ins of the emergency exit pathway underneath the Patsaouras Busway Station along the I-10 Express Lanes.
• Staff conducted a walkthrough at Expo/La Brea Station to assess ongoing safety and maintenance challenges, particularly around the seating area near the local business dumpster, which has become a hotspot for non-transit gatherings and illicit activity.
• After receiving feedback that some amenities at the El Monte Bus Station are outdated, staff conducted a site visit and are working to make the necessary repairs and upgrades to bring the station into the current technology standards.
• Maintenance Staff are working with DPS, LASD, and LASD’s Homeless Outreach Services Team (HOST) to address copper thefts and growing RV encampments near Del Amo Station; and
• With evidence of inappropriate activity, particularly in the station parking lots, at Sherman Way Station, staff are working with its Facilities Maintenance partners in the region to implement parking lot user safety improvements.
PARTNERSHIPS TO MITIGATE SOCIETAL ISSUES
Greater Los Angeles faces societal issues like any other metropolitan area, including homelessness and behavioral health concerns. Metro utilizes a care-based approach, collaborating with the Department of Health Services (DHS) and homeless service agencies to deploy multidisciplinary outreach teams (MDTs) across the rail and bus system and improve access to mental health and substance abuse resources. Metro also works with the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA) annually on the Point-in-Time count, which is used to gauge the impact of the public safety ecosystem on the number of unhoused individuals who use the system for shelter. Addressing societal issues requires collaboration across Metro departments, so Ambassadors, homeless outreach, contract security, and law enforcement communicate and coordinate weekly, sharing data and any notable trends with each other to address end-of-line and hotspot stations where societal factors are regularly present. This multi-layer deployment best positions Metro to mitigate and respond to the issues of society that occur in cities across the country, including the greater LA area.
Helping Riders Experiencing Homelessness
By connecting people to housing resources, Metro’s multidisciplinary outreach teams are helping improve the safety of unhoused riders sheltering on our system. In August, MDTs enrolled 670 people into the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS), referred 207 people to interim housing, and placed 21 people into permanent housing. For FY26, 1,254 people have been enrolled into HMIS and connected 424 to interim or permanent housing thus far.
Responding to Mental Health & Emotional Distress
In addition to having MDTs on the system, DPS’s law enforcement partners also have their respective outreach units deployed to respond to and assist individuals experiencing mental health crises. LAPD’s Homeless Outreach and Proactive Engagement (HOPE) teams and LASD’s Mental Evaluation Team (MET) both involve officers working alongside a licensed mental health clinician. In August, LAPD’s HOPE team engaged 135 individuals, referring 25 of them to services. LASD’s MET had 353 engagements and referred 4 of them to social services. More details can be found in Attachment C. Metro also collaborates with the LA County Department of Mental Health (DMH), as Metro staff have been trained to identify individuals appropriate for referrals, and select DMH staff can access the system when mental health crises occur.
Systemwide Crime Stats - August 2025 vs. July 2025
Metro coordinates with its law enforcement partners to provide a visible, engaged presence on the bus and rail system, enforcing the penal code to deter criminal activity, such as assaults, thefts, and trespassing. Comparing the statistics with the previous month and normalizing for ridership allows DPS and its public safety partners to better observe trends and determine and update deployments as necessary.
Overall, Crimes Against Persons (violent crimes) had a decrease in August (158 vs. 177 in July) due to decreases in aggravated assaults and robberies. This marked the lowest total for August systemwide since 2021. LAPD and LASD did not identify any trends or patterns for this month; however, from August 22 to 29, LAPD surged its Metro bus boardings across the city in response to the violent incident that resulted in the death of a Metro rider on August 22. Similarly, MTS deployed a BST in the area until September 26. This increased uniform presence could have impacted the decline in violent crimes.
Crimes Against Property saw an overall decrease in August compared to July, despite an increase in thefts on the bus system (16 vs. 7) and a decrease on the rail system (26 vs. 45). Law enforcement did not observe any notable patterns in these increased thefts and continues to monitor for any suspicious activity.
Crimes Against Society increased in August due to arrests for trespassing and narcotics. This could be attributed to special operations conducted by LASD and LAPD. On August 4 and 25, LASD’s Special Assignment Unit conducted one-day undercover operations at Filmore Station in response to an increase in narcotic activity in the area, resulting in a total of five arrests. LAPD’s Special Problems Unit conducted crime suppression in and around North Hollywood Station on August 11, making a significant arrest for possession of narcotics and two loaded firearms. Crimes in these categories fluctuate in relation to enforcement levels.
August 2025
• Crimes Against Persons decreased by 10.7% in August compared to July (158 vs. 177).
o On the rail system, Crimes Against Persons decreased by 21.4% (81 vs. 103) due to decreases in aggravated assaults (18 vs. 32) and batteries (40 vs. 50).
o On the bus system, Crimes Against Persons increased by 4.1% (77 vs. 74) due to decreases in batteries (37 vs. 28).
• Crimes Against Property decreased by 4.1% in August compared to July (71 vs. 74).
o On the rail system, Crimes Against Property had a decrease due to a decrease in thefts (26 vs. 45).
o Crimes Against Property increased by 50.0% on buses as a result of an increase in thefts (16 vs. 7).
• Crimes Against Society increased by 10.4% in August compared to July (383 vs. 347).
o On the rail system, Crimes Against Society increased by 5.2% (341 vs. 324) due to decreases in narcotics (96 vs. 73) and trespassings (241 vs. 237).
o On the bus system, Crimes Against Society increased by 82.6% (42 vs. 23), due to increases in narcotics (31 vs. 16) and trespassing arrests (8 vs. 3).
Per One Million Boardings
Crimes Against Persons (violent crime) per one million boardings systemwide decreased by 16.0% in August 2025 compared to July (6.26 vs. 7.45), marking the lowest violent crime rate for August systemwide since 2019. Refer to Attachment H for more details on the data normalized by ridership. Based on internal metrics and discussions with staff, law enforcement partners adjust their deployments weekly and as conditions require.
Mitigating Assaults Against Frontline Employees
Bus Operators
Metro’s law enforcement partners reported five operator assaults in August, an increase from July (5 vs. 2) and a significant decrease from August 2024 (5 vs. 17). Using physical force, spitting, and using a weapon or object were the methods of assaults on operators. Of the five assaults reported, four occurred inside the vehicle, and two reported a barrier in use.
The incidents that occurred inside a bus included a suspect leaning against the barrier door and spitting through the gap in the enclosure, hitting the operator in the face, and resulting in an arrest. Another assault occurred when the suspect attempted to break into the operator barrier and stab the operator with a screwdriver; the suspect exited the bus, vandalized the windshield, and fled the scene. Two assaults inside the bus happened as the operators left their seats to walk to the back of the bus to speak to patrons due to Code of Conduct violations: A group of juveniles, who were drinking on a bus pepper-sprayed the operator; and a suspect, who was harassing other passengers head-butted the operator. The suspect in the latter incident was arrested. The remaining assault occurred while the bus operator was at a bus layover and was confronted by a suspect and punched in the face. More details on assault methods and reasons can be found in Attachment I.
Staff continues to see a decrease in assault severity, as retrofit enclosed bus barriers help prevent serious injuries. Staff will continue to analyze assaults as more months of data are collected.
In addition to the protection that physical barriers give, all operators have received de-escalation training. Other safety measures in place include surveillance cameras, penalty signage, and video monitors to deter assaults on operators when they are outside the operator compartment area. Assault events are reviewed by Metro to identify root issues, possible preventive measures, and to provide lessons learned.
Other Frontline Staff
Assaults on frontline staff (excluding operators) decreased from 18 in July to 13 in August. The methods of assault on these frontline staff vary from suspects using their hands to shove or punch staff, throwing an object, spitting on an employee, throwing liquid, and using verbal threats. Of the thirteen assaults in August, five occurred on the B Line, three occurred at Union Station (not line-specific), two occurred on the A Line, one occurred at 7th St/Metro Center Station (not line-specific), one occurred on the E Line, and one occurred on the J Line.
Assaults on security officers involve physical altercations as they approach individuals to enforce the Code of Conduct, often provoking confrontational reactions. LASD provides enhanced training focused on officer safety, de-escalation techniques, arrest procedures, and customer service. Similarly, Contract Security has expanded its training to reduce officer assaults. For frontline staff like Ambassadors, Blue Shirts, and Custodians, assaults are unpredictable and can include spitting, verbal threats, or throwing objects. They also may face physical assaults. All frontline staff undergo de-escalation training to better manage uncooperative or aggressive individuals. More details on assault methods, reasons, and mitigations can be found in Attachment I.
Equity_Platform
EQUITY PLATFORM
The Metro transit system spans many diverse communities across Los Angeles County. The diversity of Metro’s service area includes economically and ethnically diverse areas, as well as diversity in regard to crime and public safety needs. Metro continues to take a cross-disciplinary approach to sustain and grow ridership, improve customer experience, and, most importantly, ensure the safety of Metro’s system is equitable across Los Angeles County.
Metro’s rider population includes vulnerable people, many of them unhoused, who utilize and ride on the system as a means of shelter. Experience has shown that this often has an undesirable impact at the end-of-line (EOL) stations. Contract Security and MTS Bus Safety Teams regularly conduct EOL offloading operations at rail and bus stations, respectively, setting a consistent, compassionate, and equitable standard on what riders should do upon reaching the last station. In August, MTS BSTs focused on Chatsworth and North Hollywood stations on the G Line, improving staff safety as operators had concerns about individuals refusing to alight at the last stop. Homeless outreach teams are also available at EOL stations to offer services to any individuals experiencing homelessness.
Vehicle_Miles_Traveled_Outcome
VEHICLE MILES TRAVELED OUTCOME
VMT and VMT per capita in Los Angeles County are lower than national averages, the lowest in the SCAG region, and on the lower end of VMT per capita statewide, with these declining VMT trends due in part to Metro’s significant investment in rail and bus transit.* Metro’s Board-adopted VMT reduction targets align with California’s statewide climate goals, including achieving carbon neutrality by 2045. To ensure continued progress, all Board items are assessed for their potential impact on VMT.
This item supports Metro’s systemwide strategy to reduce VMT through operational activities that will improve public safety and customer experience on Metro’s bus and rail system and further encourage transit ridership. Metro’s Board-adopted VMT reduction targets were designed to build on the success of existing investments, and this item aligns with those objectives.
*Based on population estimates from the United States Census and VMT estimates from Caltrans’ Highway Performance Monitoring System (HPMS) data between 2001-2019.
Implementation_of_Strategic_Plan_Goals
IMPLEMENTATION OF STRATEGIC PLAN GOALS
The recommendation supports Strategic Plan Goals #2.1: Deliver outstanding trip experiences for all users of the transportation system; Metro is committed to improving security and #5.6: Provide responsive, accountable, and trustworthy governance within the Metro organization; Metro will foster and maintain a strong safety culture.
Next_Steps
NEXT STEPS
DPS will continue to monitor the performance of its law enforcement partners, private security, and Transit Security Officers, as well as the agency’s crime statistics. It also considers information from system operations, surveys, customer complaints, and physical security assessments, amongst other sources, to analyze safety-related issues, adjust deployment strategies, and formulate new interventions.
Attachments
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment A - Narcan Data August 2025
Attachment B - Arrests by Race & Ethnicity August 2025
Attachment C - Law Enforcement Homeless Outreach August 2025
Attachment D - Metro Transit Security Activities August 2025
Attachment E - Metro Ambassador Activities August 2025
Attachment F - Board Motion 30
Attachment G - Station Experience Updates
Attachment H - Law Enforcement Crime Summary August 2025
Attachment I - Frontline Safety Additional Data August 2025
Prepared_by
Prepared by: Robert Gummer, Deputy Chief, System Security and Law Enforcement
Officer, (213) 922-4513
Stephen Tu, Deputy Executive Officer, Operations, (213) 418-3005
Karen Parks, Senior Director, Special Projects, (213) 922-4612
Reviewed_By
Reviewed by: William Scott, Chief of Police and Emergency Management, (213) 922-
5448
Jennifer Vides, Chief Customer Experience Officer, (213) 940-4060
Conan Cheung, Chief Operations Officer, (213) 418-3034
