Metro - File #: 2025-0178

• File #: 2025-0178
• Type: Informational Report
• Status: Filed
• File created: 2/27/2025
• In control: Operations, Safety, and Customer Experience Committee
• On agenda: 4/17/2025
• Final action: 4/17/2025
• Title: RECEIVE AND FILE the Public Safety Report.
• Sponsors: Board of Directors - Regular Board Meeting
• Indexes: 7th Street/Metro Center Station, Barriers (Roads), City of Los Angeles, Cleaning, Cleanliness (Graffiti Abatement), Contractors, Contracts, De-escalation, Design build, Downtown Long Beach Station, Elevators, Fare Evasion, Firestone Station, Graffiti, Harbor Freeway Station, Homeless Outreach, Informational Report, La Cienega/Jefferson Station, Lake Avenue Station, Law enforcement, Long Beach Police Department, Los Angeles Police Department, Los Angeles Sheriffs Department, Los Angeles Union Station, Maintenance, Metro Busway J Line, Metro Rail A Line, Metro Rail B Line, Metro Rail C Line, Metro Rail D Line, Metro Rail E Line, Metro Rail K Line, Metro Transit Ambassadors, Motion / Motion Response, Operation LA Metro Homeless Outreach, Pico Station, Plan, Property crimes, Public Safety Advisory Committee, Race and ethnicity, Ridership, Safety, Safety and security, Security, Sierra Madre Villa Station, Subway stations, System safety, Terminal 19, Theft, Threats, Transit buses, Transit Homeless Action Plan, Transit safety, Uniform Crime Reporting, Vandalism, Vermont/Sunset Station, Video, Weapons, Westlake/Macarthur Park Station, Willowbrook/Rosa Parks Station, Wilshire/Vermont Station

Date	Action By	Action	Result
4/17/2025	Operations, Safety, and Customer Experience Committee

Meeting_Body

OPERATIONS, SAFETY, AND CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE COMMITTEE

APRIL 17, 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 safety 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 law enforcement services. In 2024, the agency enhanced its public safety model further by adopting a three-pronged strategy consisting of increasing the engaged, visible presence of uniformed personnel, improving access control to ensure the system is being used only for its intended purpose of transit, and strengthening partnerships to address societal issues with the County, cities, Regional Agencies, and nonprofit partners to address homelessness, untreated mental illness, and drug addiction. 

These actions align with numerous initiatives to improve safety and the perception of safety on the system, including the increased, strategic, and layered deployment of personnel (comprised of customer-centered ambassadors, community intervention specialists, homeless outreach staff, transit security, private security, and law enforcement officers) and the piloting of safety and security interventions to address specific concerns (e.g., trespassing, drug use and crime) on the system.

Discussion
DISCUSSION

System Security & Law Enforcement (SSLE) is responsible for overseeing safety initiatives on the Metro system, working in coordination with other departments, including Operations and Customer Experience. SSLE forms the foundation of Metro’s comprehensive approach to safety and security, focused specifically on protecting our customers and employees by preventing and addressing crime on our system, enforcing Metro’s Code of Conduct, ensuring the safety of our facilities, directing the deployment of law enforcement and private security presence throughout the system, and proactively identifying and addressing areas of possible concern.

The following is a snapshot of activities, performance, and outcome-related data for February, the most recent month for which systemwide law enforcement data is available.

OVERVIEW

Metro ridership increased by 4.33% this month compared to February of the previous year (24,028,584 vs. 23,031,303). This marked the 27^th consecutive month of year-over-year ridership growth.

Like February 2024, Crimes Against Persons (violent crimes) systemwide increased in February 2025 when compared to January. Crimes Against Persons in February 2025, however, are 9% lower than the same time a year ago (151 vs. 166).

Crimes Against Property increased 11.6% (77 vs. 56) due to a rise in vandalism incidents on buses. Crimes Against Property decreased on rail compared to the previous month.

Crimes Against Society fell 16.4% in February 2025 compared to the previous month. More details can be found in the Systemwide Crime Stats section below.

SPECIAL INITIATIVES

Station Experience Updates

As part of Metro’s commitment to safety and its continued efforts to ensure the system is used for its intended purpose, the agency partners with city officials and community groups, including neighborhood councils and local businesses, to find bespoke solutions to address the differing challenges at various stations. Attachment A describes the most recent initiatives Metro’s Station Experience team has implemented, including:

•                     Taller faregates at Firestone Station are having a strong impact on fare evasion

•                     Throne Bathrooms expand to more stations with nearly 200,000 uses recorded

•                     Elevator Attendant Pilot with Return-to-Work employees launches at Pershing Square

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 B) by Directors Bass, Horvath, Krekorian, Najarian, Solis, and Hahn. Since the initiative began in August 2023, there have been significant improvements, as seen in the decline in trespassing removals and arrests through 2024.

The charts below illustrate the stark difference in trespasser removal and arrests between 2023 and 2024, reflecting the effectiveness of Metro’s efforts to clean and secure ancillary areas in its underground rail stations. 

•                     In 2024, the average number of trespasser removals per month decreased by 95%, from 36.4 in 2023 to 1.8 in 2024.

•                     Conversely, the average number of monthly arrests for trespassing increased 186% in 2024 compared to 2023 (15 v. 5.2).  

These shifts are the result of two trends operating in concert:

•                     A serious overall reduction in the number of trespassers encountered in the ancillary areas as a whole, down to 202 in 2024, from a high of 500 total encountered in 2023.

•                     A shift in response, from just 12.6% of trespassers being reported as arrests in 2023, to 89% in 2024. This shift coincides with policy changes implemented in August 2023. These included an increased presence of Contract Security at all subway stations, coupled with more frequent mandatory inspections of ancillary areas. It was also during this period that response began to prioritize arresting trespassers over removals.

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 clean all ancillary areas along the B, D, E, and K lines weekly.

•                     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 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 three 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 six consecutive months.

•                     As part of these targeted efforts, Metro also updated Standard Operating Procedures for chemical and staff safety and equipment that protects staff from potential exposure to untreated corridors.

Security

•                     87 Contract Security officers continue to be deployed 24/7 at all 24 subway stations on the B, D, E, and K lines. They inspect every ancillary area nine times daily and arrest any trespasser that they encounter. 

•                     Contract Security continues to support ancillary cleaning efforts by providing security escorts for the Metro custodian staff during cleaning operations.  

•                     Contract Security efforts resulted in six trespassing arrests in ancillary areas in February.

•                     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.

SYSTEMWIDE CRIME STATS

February 2025 vs. January 2025

•                     Crimes Against Persons increased by 17.1% in February compared to January (151 vs. 129). 

o                     On the rail system, Crimes Against Persons increased by 8.6% (76 vs. 70) due to increases in batteries (48 vs. 41) and robberies (13 vs. 9).

o                     On the bus system, Crimes Against Persons increased by 27.1% (75 vs. 59), mainly due to increases in batteries (40 vs. 27) and robberies (14 vs. 11).

•                     Crimes Against Property increased by 11.6% in February compared to January (77 vs. 69).

o                     The increase is attributed to 68.8% more incidents of vandalism (12 vs. 4) and thefts (15 vs. 12) on buses.

o                     In contrast, Crimes Against Property decreased by 5.7% on rail as a result of fewer incidents of thefts (38 vs. 39) and vandalism (10 vs. 11) on rail.

•                     Crimes Against Society decreased by 16.4% in February compared to January (244 vs. 292).

o                     On the rail system, Crimes Against Society fell by 13.1% (233 vs. 268) due to decreases in narcotics (59 vs. 107) and weapons (10 vs. 17).

o                     On the bus system, Crimes Against Society decreased by 54.2% (11 vs. 24) due to decreases in narcotics (10 vs. 14) and weapons (0 vs. 7).

Last year, Crimes Against Persons similarly went up in February (166 crimes) compared to January (154), a 7.8% increase.

Despite the rise, February 2025 still looks favorable compared to February 2024. Crimes Against Persons decreased by 9.0% in February 2025 compared to February 2024 (151 vs. 166). Crimes Against Property were 37.5% higher overall (77 vs. 56). Most of the increase was due to a spike in Vandalism (22 crimes in February 2025, compared to 9 in February 2024). More information can be found in the data normalized by ridership below, and in Attachments C, D, E, and F.

The following chart compares Crimes Against Persons, Property, and Society crime data per one million boardings.

In February, Crimes Against Persons per one million boardings increased by 23.5% compared to January 2025 (6.28 vs. 5.09) and decreased by 12.8% compared to February 2024 (6.28 vs. 7.21). Crimes Against Property per one million boardings increased by 17.8% compared to January 2025 (3.20 vs. 2.72) and increased by 31.8% compared to February 2024 (3.20 vs. 2.43). Crimes Against Society per one million boardings decreased by 11.8% compared to January 2025 (10.15 vs. 11.51) and decreased by 14.6% compared to February 2024 (10.15 vs. 11.90).

FRONTLINE EMPLOYEE SAFETY

As the table below shows, assaults on Metro employees and contractors remained unchanged in February compared to the previous month. This follows a similar trend that we have seen over the past six months, where assaults on Metro employees and contractors (excluding bus and rail operators) have averaged 16 per month. Of the 16 employee and contractor assaults in February, five occurred on the B Line at different stations. Five assaults occurred at Union Station (not line-specific), one assault occurred at Union Station - A Line, and one assault occurred at Union Station - B Line.

In January, there were a total of 17 assaults on Metro employees and contractors (excluding bus and rail operators). Five of the assaults occurred on the B Line at different stations. Three assaults occurred at Union Station (not line-specific). Three assaults occurred on the A Line, with two assaults occurring at 7th Street/Metro Center Station and one assault occurring at Union Station - A Line.

Operator Safety

Metro’s law enforcement partners reported seven operator assaults in February, a slight increase from January (7 vs. 6). Using physical force (e.g., punch, slap, kick), spitting, and making verbal threats were the methods of assaults on operators in February. Of the seven assaults reported, three occurred outside of the operator area, three reported a barrier in use, and one reported a barrier present but open by the bus operator.

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, identify possible preventive measures, and provide lessons learned.

Figures A and B provide context on operator assaults in February compared to prior months and years. Figures C and D illustrate the methods and reasons for assaults, respectively. Details of the assaults can be found in Attachment G.

Figure A: Operator Assaults Six-Month Comparison

Figure B: Operator Assaults Year-to-Year Comparison

Figure C: Methods of Assaults on Operators

Figure D: Reasons for Assaults on Operators

Other Frontline Staff Safety

Assaults on frontline staff (personnel excluding operators) decreased from 17 in January to 16 in February. The methods of assault on these frontline staff vary from suspects using their hands to shove or punch staff to spitting, throwing objects, and brandishing a weapon.

Assaults on security officers tend to involve physical altercations because they usually approach individuals, asking them to adhere to the Code of Conduct, which often results in a confrontational or resistive reaction from the suspect. LASD provided enhanced training to include officer safety, de-escalation, arrest laws, and customer service. In addition, Contract Security increased its training program to align with its new responsibilities and reduce officer assaults.

For other frontline staff like Ambassadors, Blue Shirts, and Custodians, assaults tend to be unpredictable and involve random displays of aggression such as spitting, verbal threats, or throwing objects and liquid. However, they may also be physically assaulted. All frontline staff complete de-escalation training to better handle situations with uncooperative or aggressive individuals. Methods of assaults and reasons for assaults are illustrated in Figures E and F, respectively.

Figure E: Methods of Assaults on Other Frontline Staff

Figure F: Reasons for Assaults on Other Frontline Staff

Assaults per Vehicle Revenue Mile

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA)’s National Transit Database (NTD) added an assaults per vehicle revenue mile (VRM) requirement as part of the reporting of assaults on transit workers from transportation agencies. While transit agencies are required to report this metric annually to the NTD, this report will provide a monthly update, showing the most recent 12-month rolling average. Due to Metro’s vast service area (measured in Vehicle Revenue Miles), the metric is normalized by 100,000 miles.

The rolling yearly average rate of assaults on transit workers (including rail, bus, and other frontline workers) per 100,000 vehicle revenue miles in February 2025 was 1.19, compared to 1.28 in January 2025.  This means that over the last 12 months ending February 2025, there was an average of 1.19 assaults per 100,000 revenue miles, a 7% decrease compared to the 12 months ending January 2025.

Bus Safety Teams

Transit Security Bus Safety Teams 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.

In February, end-of-line operations were conducted during Owl Service at the J Line El Monte Station to address concerns from bus operators about individuals refusing to alight buses at the end of the line. These operations resulted in 232 removals (over half of all removals represented in the table below) for non-compliance between February 3 and February 28.

The MTS teams are augmented with law enforcement support. In February, there were 2,406 and 9,962 bus boardings by LAPD officers and LASD deputies, respectively.

In addition to Code of Conduct enforcement, Transit Security Officers (TSOs) provide riders with safety tips, such as being aware of their surroundings while using their mobile phones and informing them of the Transit Watch application to report incidents. Several TSOs are bilingual and can assist customers in multiple languages, including Spanish, Korean, and Thai. TSOs also engage with bus operators to obtain information regarding safety issues or areas of concern that the Bus Safety Teams can address. Additionally, when possible, TSOs provide operators with verbal tips related to safety and de-escalation tactics, ensuring they can respond appropriately to incidents that may threaten their safety.

*Law enforcement Bus Teams conduct bus boardings, which is when an officer momentarily boards a bus during its stop, asks the operator if everything is okay, and ensures there are no safety issues on board.

DEPLOYMENT ACTIVITIES

The following are Metro’s public safety personnel's deployment activities for February, which are intended to prevent and reduce crime in the system.

Law Enforcement

LAPD, LASD, and LBPD enforce the penal code on the system, including conducting trespass investigations. The table below represents law enforcement’s efforts for February to enforce the penal code on the system.

In February, the three law enforcement agencies made 361 arrests and issued 514 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 H. Law enforcement’s homeless outreach teams engage with unhoused individuals on the system and offer available services; more details can be found in Attachment I. 

End of Line

Contract Security (CS) officers offload trains at 11 end-of-line (EOL) rail stations. This operation serves to deter patrons from riding the system without a valid fare, while allowing train cleaning to maintain a clean and safe environment. Offloading operations also provide security support for Metro employees as they perform their duties. The table below shows February’s offloading efforts compared to the previous month. The lower offloading numbers between January and February could be attributed to February being a shorter month. 

CS observations and experiences have been positive, as the operation has reduced disorderly behavior and improved customer experience. Riders who remain on the trains and require CS interaction are now more willing to adhere to alighting the train and the re-tapping protocols. Enforcing the Customer Code of Conduct sends a message to repeat offenders, deterring them from remaining on trains arriving at the EOL. Furthermore, homeless outreach workers are deployed at end-of-line stations to provide resources and services.

Transit Security

A primary role of Metro Transit Security is enforcing the Code of Conduct. In February, MTS officers issued 114 citations and 69 written warnings for Code of Conduct violations. Of those, 183 (97%) were due to individuals failing to provide proof of fare. For a demographic breakdown of those who were cited, refer to Attachment J.

The table below shows a breakdown of the remaining citations and warnings. The numbers reflect MTS's continued efforts to deter those attempting to access the system for non-transit purposes in violation of the Code of Conduct.

Transit Security Fare Compliance Teams are assigned to conduct fare compliance at station turnstiles, mezzanines, and platforms. The table below provides a recap of February’s monthly activity.

Transit Security Train Safety Teams provide a uniformed presence and enforce Metro’s Code of Conduct aboard trains. The table below provides a recap of February activities.

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. Metro Ambassadors were deployed on all rail lines, as well as the G Line, J Line, and bus lines 40 and 210.

In addition, they were called upon to provide crowd control and wayfinding support for special events such as CicLAvia in West Adams, MLK Parade, and the LAFC Soccer Games, and as needed for service alerts like the A Line North bus bridges and J Line East elevator outages. 

J Line Eastway Deployments: In early February 2025, three Metro Ambassador teams per shift have been redeployed to advise Metro and customers of elevator outages along the J Line east segment. This deployment allows quick response and notifications to Bus Operations Control and customers. Ambassadors will remain on the J Line East until further notice.

Bus Line 134 Deployment: With service resuming, Metro Ambassadors were redeployed to the 5th/Colorado 134 bus stop in Santa Monica to inform customers of the restart and restrictions. Riders were excited about the return of service and appreciated the in-person updates to help them plan accordingly.

For February 2025, Metro Ambassadors conducted 37,404 customer engagements and reported the following:

•                     3,315 Cleanliness Issues (18% increase from January 2025)

•                     2,196 Graffiti Incidents (21% increase from January 2025)

•                     660 Elevator and Escalator Problems (53% increase from January 2025)

•                     309 Safety Issues (2% decrease from January 2025)

•                     Seven lives were saved through the timely administration of Narcan, the same number of lives saved as the prior month.

Narcan Deployment

MTS, LAPD, LASD, Contract Security, and Ambassadors are equipped with Narcan and administer it as needed to individuals experiencing symptoms of an overdose. LBPD is not required to carry Narcan, according to its agency’s policies.

In February, there were 17 Narcan incidents. Ambassadors reported seven incidents, Contract Security reported five, LAPD reported five, LASD reported no incidents, and MTS reported no incidents. Six of the Narcan incidents occurred on the B Line, with two incidents occurring at Westlake/MacArthur Park Station. Three incidents occurred at Union Station (not line-specific). Three incidents occurred on the A Line, with two incidents occurring at Pico Station. Additionally, three incidents occurred on the C Line, with all incidents occurring at the Aviation/Century Station.

Similarly, there were 17 Narcan incidents in January. Nine of the incidents occurred on the B Line, with four incidents occurring at Westlake/MacArthur Park Station and two incidents occurring at 7th Street/Metro Center Station. Four incidents occurred at Union Station (not line-specific).

Upon analyzing the two months of Narcan incidents in 2025, staff see that most Narcan incidents often occur on the B Line and at Westlake/MacArthur Park Station. Drug use has been well-documented at this station, and staff anticipate that they will continue to save lives by administering Narcan at this station as well as throughout the system.

EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT

On February 18, the Emergency Management Department (EMD) presented to the Metro Service Councils on Metro’s Emergency Management preparedness, emergency incident, and large-scale special events planning and response. The Councils were interested in learning how Metro planned for known and spontaneous events, including how the agency engages with both internal and external stakeholders. EMD provided the Councils with a breakdown of the special and emergency event planning process, exercise, and training delivery, as well as how EMD maintains situational awareness in the Emergency Operations Center during activations.

On February 26, the EMD conducted the A-Line Foothill Extension full-scale exercise. The Train versus car exercise brought together 19 distinct agencies, Metro departments, and collaborative partners. This critical simulation evaluated our organizational coordination and safety standards. The exercise was successful, with 84 participants engaged in testing standards operations protocols and increasing familiarity with our rail system to new responding agencies in the cities of La Verne and San Dimas.

CUSTOMER COMMENTS

Using various sources, including comments submitted to Metro’s social media accounts, the Transit Watch app, and the Call Center, staff assessed the public sentiment of the Metro system. SSLE’s Data Analytics team monitors general sentiment, while specific and actionable security concerns raised by customers are reported on weekly calls with security and maintenance teams for awareness and strategy development. Moreover, any customer comment referencing criminal activity is forwarded to law enforcement for a follow-up with the customer to investigate the incident and file a crime report.

The number of security-related reports submitted to Metro slightly decreased month-over-month from January to February, from 3,765 to 3,753, which can be attributed to February being a shorter month. The Security Operations Center’s Security Control Specialists (SCS) continue to meet the FY25 SSLE target response time of 120 seconds, with a response time of 26 seconds in February. By comparison, in FY24, the average response time was 99 seconds, also falling within the fiscal year’s target. This target response time ensures a faster process for determining the proper response and dispatch of resources, improving calls for service response times on the system.

Overall Sentiment and Engagement

Metro uses a vendor to assess the overall sentiment about safety and security. To do this, the vendor looks at social media posts (e.g., Instagram, Facebook, Reddit, etc.) made by the public, as well as Transit Watch reports submitted internally by Metro Ambassadors, Contract Security, and Law Enforcement, to report on issues seen on the system. As a result of reports submitted by internal staff, the overall sentiment data may be biased. In February, the overall sentiment about safety and security was slightly more positive than the previous two months, influenced mainly by posts related to TAP-to-Exit, parking violation enforcement, and multimodal infrastructure. The Facilities/Infrastructure topic remained the most discussed, driven by a high volume of Transit Watch tickets from Metro Ambassadors and the public. Meanwhile, discussions about drugs registered the most negative sentiment, especially on Instagram.

Just as in the prior month, the most positive comments were about the system's visible security presence, highlighting visible security in stations and during the TAP-to-Exit program.

•                     On Reddit, a rider complimented Metro police officers for checking everyone’s TAP cards, making their ride feel much more pleasant at the Downtown Long Beach Station.

•                     On Facebook, a user posted that on a Friday morning, when they took the B Line from North Hollywood to the 7th Street/Metro Center Station and back, no one was smoking, yelling, vaping, or playing loud music, and the car was clean. The user stated, “Let’s keep this up, Metro!”

•                     On Instagram, a Metro post about a new path for walking and biking generated positive engagement, with many people leaving positive comments under the post.

Similar to previous months, Metro’s Facilities/infrastructure garnered the most mentions, at 7,752 mentions, a 7.49% increase compared to January (7,212 mentions).

When discussing safety and security at specific Metro stations:

•                     Union Station generated the most mentions this month, seeing 15 more mentions in February than January.

•                     Crenshaw Station generated the second-most overall engagement, followed by Harbor Freeway Station.

Most mentions about safety and security at these stations were related to concerns impacting perceptions of safety, including:

•                     broken lights,

•                     graffiti,

•                     cleanliness, and

•                     passenger conduct.

These observations are shared with the relevant teams at Metro and at cross-departmental weekly meetings so they can be addressed.

Most Common Customer Concerns

To assess the most common customer concerns, Metro looked at incidents submitted through the Transit Watch app by the public. Property crime reports related to graffiti remained the most frequently reported incident type, accounting for the majority of incidents at 39% in February. The top three locations for graffiti incidents were Sierra Madre Villa Station, La Cienega/Jefferson Station, and Willowbrook/Rosa Parks Station.

The second most reported type of incident is Smoking/Alcohol/Drugs. The top three locations in February for these types of incidents were 7^th Street/Metro Center Station, Union Station, and Vermont/Sunset Station.

Reports of fights or disturbances are the third most common. In February, the top three locations reporting fights or disturbances were Wilshire/Vermont Station, 7^th Street/Metro Center Station, and Lake Station.

Metro Transit Security and Contract Security train riding teams continue to enforce and provide education on the Metro Code of Conduct. Stations consistently reported with the most issues are noted and shared with public safety personnel so deployments can be adjusted to focus on those locations.

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. These observations are shared during weekly meetings between public safety partners, and security patrols are adjusted at stations with the highest observations. Staff will continue to explore best practices such as messaging and awareness campaigns, education, and video analytics to address these concerns systemwide.

Equity Platform

EQUITY PLATFORM

Metro continues to take a cross-disciplinary approach to sustain and grow ridership, improve the customer experience, and, most importantly, ensure the safety of Metro’s system. The collaboration between SSLE and its partners in the comprehensive public safety model remains strong as they work together strategically to support vulnerable and unhoused riders, address customer concerns, and enhance cleanliness and security on the system. Each public safety resource is deployed on the system after carefully considering customer comments, crime data, and observations shared by Law Enforcement partners, Contract Security, multi-disciplinary outreach teams, and Metro Ambassadors to ensure every resource is used efficiently. Through these data points, public safety resources are allocated equitably and with riders and employees’ needs in mind. Operator safety remains a top priority as Bus Safety Teams continue to be deployed on the bus lines with the highest number of operator assaults.

Additionally, as the Metro system expands to serve more communities in the region, the Emergency Management Department (EMD) conducts various exercises to ensure that all law enforcement, first responders, and Metro personnel are familiar with the standard operating procedures for specific emergencies. The EMD recently completed a train versus vehicle exercise simulation for the A-Line Foothill Extension in San Dimas, successfully evaluating the organizational coordination of multiple agencies with Metro. This ensures that riders will be safe in an emergency, as these first responders will know the correct protocols. Furthermore, EMD conducts trainings and exercises across the system, allowing information to be delivered equitably to keep our riders and employees safe. 

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 our 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.

Next Steps
NEXT STEPS

SSLE continues to monitor our law enforcement partners, private security, and Transit Security Officer performance, monitor crime stats, and consider information from 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 - Station Experience Updates

Attachment B - Board Motion 30

Attachment C - Total Crime Summary February 2025

Attachment D - Systemwide Law Enforcement Overview February 2025

Attachment E - MTA Supporting Data February 2025

Attachment F - Sexual Harassment Crimes February 2025

Attachment G - Operator Assaults February 2025

Attachment H - Arrests by Race & Ethnicity February 2025

Attachment I - Law Enforcement Homeless Outreach February 2025

Attachment J - MTS Citations & Warnings by Race & Ethnicity February 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

Imelda Hernandez, Senior Manager, Transportation Planning, (213) 922-4848

Reviewed By

Reviewed by: Kenneth Hernandez, Chief Transit Safety Officer (Interim), (213) 922-

2290

Jennifer Vides, Chief Customer Experience Officer, (213) 940-4060

Conan Cheung, Chief Operations Officer, (213) 418-3034