Meeting_Body
REGULAR BOARD MEETING
FEBRUARY 27, 2025
Preamble
Motion by:
DIRECTORS HAHN, BARGER, SOLIS, BASS, DUTRA AND BUTTS
CONTINUATION OF WEAPONS DETECTION PILOT
The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Authority utilizes a multi-layered safety approach to help create a safe and comfortable transit experience for Metro riders and employees. Some of these measures include enhanced lighting throughout the system and improved station designs. Some additional safety layers include the deployment of safety personnel such as but not limited to Metro ambassadors, Metro Street Teams, Homeless Outreach Management and Engagement (HOME) teams, law enforcement, and contracted security.
At its April 2024 full board meeting, the Metro Board unanimously approved Motion 34.1, “Improving Safety for Metro Riders & Employees,” which included recommendations for ways to keep weapons off our system, including lessons learned from peer transit agencies.
Subsequently, at the July 2024 meeting, the Board approved a pilot to test several weapons detection technologies at two transit stations on the Metro Rail system. This pilot aimed to test available technology to enhance security and deter weapons from entering the Metro system. The Board has continued to stress the importance of preventing weapons from entering the system as a top priority to urgently strengthen safety for riders and employees. Over the past four months, multiple vendors provided equipment at no cost to Metro to evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of these technologies.
The results of this evaluation have demonstrated the potential of these technologies to improve safety for our riders and provide a visible deterrent to individuals carrying prohibited items. Findings from these pilots indicate that Metro’s Customer Code of Conduct, which prohibits weapons or instruments intended for use as weapons, can be further enforced using advanced detection technology.
The pilot evaluation also gave Metro valuable insights about the system’s accuracy, passenger flow, operational feasibility, and scalability. While both the detection systems that were tested showed similar effectiveness in identifying concealed weapons, the pillar-type system demonstrated advantages in flexibility, portability, and reduced infrastructure requirements. However, the pilot also revealed a high rate of false positives, which required Metro to position additional security personnel for secondary screening to minimize delays for our riders. Staff also tested brandished firearm detection through video analytics and identified a system that could integrate with Metro’s existing security infrastructure once it is upgraded to a digital system.
Metro staff continue to explore the feasibility of deploying weapons detection solutions on board buses and trains. While buses present unique challenges for weapons detection, Metro staff have shared in their report that millimeter wave screening technology capability could allow for on-board weapons detection systems on our buses.
In light of the ongoing challenges and evolving safety concerns raised by our riders and employees, Metro should continue to assess, improve, and further explore the various tools, such as weapons detection systems, that could be implemented and/or strategically deployed to enhance safety on our Metro system.
Subject
SUBJECT: CONTINUATION OF WEAPONS DETECTION PILOT
MOTION
Heading
RECOMMENDATION
Title
APPROVE Motion by Directors Hahn, Barger, Solis, Bass, Dutra and Butts to direct the Chief Executive Officer to:
A. Extend and expand the deployment of the “pillar-type” weapons detection system pilot for 12 months to additional key high-traffic transit stations to gather additional data on effectiveness, false positives, staffing needs, and any impacts to passenger experience;
B. Conduct a 12-month pilot of weapons detection technology aboard a minimum of (2) Metro buses;
C. Provide a quarterly report on the requirements, feasibility, and timeline for upgrading Metro’s video and camera system, to include the integration of brandished firearm detection analytics. This report should outline the infrastructure needs, estimated costs, and privacy considerations to ensure alignment with the agency’s broader safety and security goals; and
D. Report back to the Board in June 2025, and on an as-needed basis, with findings and recommendations from the continued pilots.