Meeting_Body
OPERATIONS, SAFETY, AND CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE COMMITTEE
MARCH 20, 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 each 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. Furthermore, since July 2023, Metro has been using a comprehensive deployment model to utilize all resources from the public safety ecosystem.
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 and community intervention specialists, as well as 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., 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 January, the most recent month for which systemwide law enforcement data is available.
OVERVIEW
In January, California declared a state of emergency due to the devastating Pacific Palisades and Eaton wildfires. To ensure residents could travel safely to reunite with loved ones, reach shelters, attend work or school, and deliver essential donations, Metro provided free fares from January 8 to January 26 while wildfire conditions persisted.
Despite the impacts to bus service due to the fires, Metro ridership increased by 0.54% this month compared to January of the previous year (25,358,363 vs. 24,147,542). This marked the 26th consecutive month of year-over-year ridership growth.
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:
• Throne Bathrooms expand to more stations with over 1,400 uses in the first week
• Parking Lot User Safety (PLUS) Program brightens the Harbor Gateway Transit Center
Public Safety Surge Update
In May 2024, the Board directed staff to increase the number of public safety personnel deployed and visibly present on buses, trains, and at stations (Motion 31; Attachment B).
In January 2025*:
• Law enforcement personnel reported 90 crimes and made 473 arrests.
• Reported trespassing crimes continued to decline, decreasing by 45% in January compared to December (24 vs. 44).
• There was a 29% decrease in arrests in January compared to December (473 vs. 670).
• Arrests for outstanding warrants fell 39% from December to January (118 vs. 194).
• Reports of crimes related to Narcotics declined 34% during this period (27 vs. 41).
*From January 8 to January 26, Metro provided free fares on trains and buses during the wildfire crisis in Los Angeles County, which contributed to the decrease in reported crimes and arrests this month.
SYSTEMWIDE CRIME STATS
January 2025 vs. December 2024
• Crimes Against Persons decreased by 10.3% in January 2025 compared to December 2024 (129 vs. 148).
o On the rail system, Crimes Against Persons decreased by 5.4% (70 vs. 74) due to decreases in aggravated assaults (12 vs. 21) and robberies (9 vs. 12).
o On the bus system, Crimes Against Persons decreased by 20.3% (59 vs. 74), mainly due to fewer aggravated assaults (21 vs. 16) and batteries (37 vs. 29).
• Crimes Against Property systemwide increased by 16.9% when comparing January 2025 to December 2024 (69 vs. 59).
o On the rail system, an increase in thefts (38 vs. 33) contributed to a 32.5% increase (53 vs. 40) in property crimes.
o On the bus system, these incidents decreased by 15.8% (16 vs. 19) due to decreased vandalism (4 vs. 13).
• Crimes Against Society decreased by 10.2% in January compared to December (292 vs. 325).
o On the rail system, Crimes Against Society decreased by 5.3% (268 vs. 283) due to decreases in narcotics (107 vs. 139) and weapons (17 vs. 30).
o On the bus system, Crimes Against Society decreased by 42.9% (24 vs. 42) due to decreases in narcotics (14 vs. 33) and trespassing (3 vs. 4).
Despite the increase in Crimes Against Property in January compared to December, the monthly average of Crimes Against Property in the last three months of 2024 was higher than the total in January 2025 (79 vs. 69). Also, Crimes Against Property in January is on par with the monthly average for 2024 (69 vs. 68). More information can be found in Attachments C, D, E, and F.
The following chart compares Crimes Against Persons, Property, and Society crime data per one million boardings.
In January 2025, Crimes Against Persons per one million boardings decreased by 12.4% compared to December 2024 (5.09 vs. 5.80) and decreased by 20.6% compared to January 2024 (5.09 vs. 6.41). Crimes Against Property per one million boardings increased by 17.6% compared to December 2024 (2.72 vs. 2.31) and increased by 12.7% compared to January 2024 (2.72 vs. 2.41). Crimes Against Society per one million boardings decreased by 9.7% compared to December 2024 (11.51 vs. 12.75) and decreased by 39.9% compared to January 2024 (11.51 vs. 19.15).
FRONTLINE EMPLOYEE SAFETY
As the table below shows, assaults on Metro employees and contractors increased by 9.5% in January compared to the previous month.
Operator Safety
Metro’s law enforcement partners reported six operator assaults in January, a slight increase from December (6 vs. 5). Using physical force (e.g., punch, slap, kick), spitting, and using a weapon were the methods of assaults on operators in January. Of the six assaults reported, three reported a bus barrier in use, and three occurred outside of the operator area. The three assaults that occurred despite a bus barrier in place occurred when the suspects sprayed a liquid or spat through the gap between the fare box and barrier or banged on the barrier several times.
Figures A and B provide context on operator assaults in January 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 (all Metro personnel excluding operators) increased from 16 in December to 17 in January. 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 (rail, bus, and other frontline workers) per 100,000 vehicle revenue miles in January 2025 was 1.25 compared to 1.33 in December 2024. This means that over the last 12 months ending January 2025, there was an average of 1.27 assaults per 100,000 revenue miles, a 6% decrease compared to the 12 months ending December 2024.
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 January, end-of-line operations were conducted during Owl Service at the J Line at El Monte Station to address bus operator concerns about individuals refusing to alight buses at the end of the line. These operations resulted in 204 removals for non-compliance between December 30 and January 31.
The MTS teams are augmented with law enforcement support. In January, there were 2,475 and 9,649 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 Spanish, Korean, and Thai, among other languages. 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 to ensure 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 January, 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 to enforce the penal code on the system for January.
In January, the three law enforcement agencies made 533 arrests and issued 887 citations. Law enforcement citations and warnings are not related to fare, 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 functions to deter patrons from riding the system without valid fare while allowing train cleaning to promote a clean and safe environment. Offloading operations also simultaneously provide security support for Metro employees performing their duties. The table below shows January’s offloading efforts compared to the previous 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.
Transit Security
A primary role of Metro Transit Security is Code of Conduct enforcement. In January, MTS officers issued 15 citations and 18 written warnings for Code of Conduct violations. Of those, 26 (79%) were due to individuals failing to provide proof of fare.
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. The significant decline in citations and removals for fare evasion this month is due to the suspension of fare collection during the wildfire state of emergency.
Transit Security Fare Compliance Teams are assigned to conduct fare compliance at station turnstiles, mezzanines, and platforms. The table below provides a recap of January’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 January’s monthly activity.
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, G Line, J Line, and bus lines 210, 40, and 720.
In addition, they were called upon to provide crowd control and wayfinding support for special events such as the Rose Parade and the ongoing NFL Games.
Fire-Related Redeployments: In early January 2025, Metro Ambassadors were also redeployed to remain fixed at Southwest Museum, Highland Park, South Pasadena, and Filmore stations to assist customers through unplanned service disruptions. Additionally, Metro Ambassadors were redeployed to Bus Line 78, around the San Gabriel Area, and to the Hollywood/Western, Duarte/City of Hope, Lake, and Expo/Bundy stations, to assist the public seeking the FEMA resource centers.
For January 2025, Metro Ambassadors conducted 42,535 customer engagements and reported the following:
• 2,805 Cleanliness Issues (10.8% decrease from December 2024)
• 1,810 Graffiti Incidents (15.7% decrease from December 2024)
• 431 Elevator and Escalator Problems (7.4% increase from December 2024)
• 314 Safety Issues (19.2 % decrease from December 2024)
• Seven lives were saved through the timely administration of Narcan, compared to five lives in December 2024.
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 January, there were a total of 17 Narcan incidents. Ambassadors reported eight incidents, Contract Security reported five, LAPD reported four, and MTS reported no incidents.
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
From January 8 to January 17, the Emergency Management Department (EMD) activated Metro’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC) to a Level Two, coordinating Metro’s planning and response to the windstorm and fire events. EMD facilitated daily meetings for Metro departments to provide updates on the evolving incident and impacts on employees and transit routes, coordination of resource needs, mutual aid requests, and collaboration on riders’ and employees’ safety and security. Metro liaisons reported to both the Los Angeles City and Los Angeles County EOC activations, assisting with information sharing and streamlining requests for transportation resources. Metro also activated its Crisis Management Team (CMT), which is made up of the agency's cabinet of chiefs representing each executive office. The CMT discussed and made executive-level decisions on Metro’s response to employee and service impacts. During the EOC activation, seven mutual aid requests were facilitated to support evacuations, parking lot usage, and transporting impacted residents to Disaster Resource Centers. Due to poor air quality from the fires, KN95 face masks were made available on certain buses and rail lines. Metro Ambassadors, Transit Security officers, and Contract Security also distributed masks across the system. Additionally, individuals experiencing homelessness were permitted to shelter overnight at the Plaza level at Union Station.
On January 21, EMD participated in the Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) Airport People Mover (APM) discussion-based tabletop exercise. The exercise provided an opportunity to discuss potential terrorist incident scenarios that would impact both Metro and LAWA and operational communication and coordination among the various response agencies.
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 brought up by customers are reported on weekly calls with security and maintenance 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 decreased month-over-month from December to January, from 3,686 to 3,245. 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 48 seconds in January. 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
In January, the Facilities/Infrastructure topic remained the most discussed, driven by a high volume of Transit Watch tickets from Metro Ambassadors and Contract Security. Meanwhile, discussions about drugs registered the most negative sentiment, especially on Reddit and Transit Watch.
At the same time, the visible security presence on the system received the most positive comments, especially on X (formerly Twitter) and Reddit.
• On X, a rider posted they would love to see Metro police officers on trains too, not just at stations like they have started to see.
• On Reddit, a user posted they have noticed more security presence in the stations around South LA and that Metro should encourage more ridership since there is “strength in numbers and problematic individuals are more likely to be deterred if more passengers are around to intervene.”
• Another user on Reddit shared they and their family were evacuated from their home due to the wildfires. As a car-less family, they felt very nervous about the difficulties they may encounter riding on the system with the “city feeling so uncertain.” However, the user stated that everyone on their transit paths was wonderful, pointing them in the right direction when they were lost and making everything go as smoothly as possible. The user said that Metro staff and security at the stations and on the trains were a huge comfort and that it all felt organized and safe. The user ended by stating that it was incredibly impressive at how thorough the support presence was and that Metro has their deepest gratitude.
Similar to previous months, Metro’s Facilities/infrastructure garnered the most mentions, at 7,212 mentions, a 17.59% decrease compared to December (8,752 mentions).
When discussing safety and security at specific Metro stations:
• Union Station generated the most mentions this month, seeing 41 more mentions in January than in December, representing the largest increase of all stations
• Slauson Station generated the second-most overall engagement, followed by Crenshaw 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
Property crime reports related to graffiti remained the most reported incident type, making up most of the incidents at 70% in January. This is mainly due to the large number of graffiti reports submitted by the Ambassadors and Contract Security through the Transit Watch app. In January, the top three locations for graffiti incidents were Willowbrook/Rosa Parks Station, LATTC/Ortho Institute Station, and La Cienega/Jefferson Station.
The second most reported type of incidents are Smoking/Alcohol/Drugs. The top three locations in January for these types of incidents were 7th Street/Metro Center Station, Vermont/Santa Monica Station, and Washington Station.
Reports of fights or disturbances are the third most common. In January, the top three locations reporting fight or disturbance incidents were Expo/Bundy Station, Union Station, and 7th Street/Metro Center Station. The total number of fights or disturbances in January was 263, a 17.6% decrease compared to December 2024 (319) and a 33.2% decrease compared to November 2024 (394).
Metro Transit Security and Contract Security train riding teams continue enforcing and providing 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, drugs) 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. During the wildfire crisis, the agency suspended fare collection, and the information was shared on various social media platforms and news outlets to ensure everyone was informed of this temporary operation change. Additionally, with the poor air quality, MTS officers, Contract Security, and Ambassadors provided free KN95 masks to riders around the affected areas to keep them safe.
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, respond to customer concerns, and improve 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. Furthering these efforts, contract security officers who conduct offloading operations at EOL stations have begun offering “Metro Cares” cards that provide information on resources for people experiencing homelessness; these cards are in English and Spanish.
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 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 31
Attachment C - Total Crime Summary January 2025
Attachment D - Systemwide Law Enforcement Overview January 2025
Attachment E - MTA Supporting Data January 2025
Attachment F - Sexual Harassment Crimes January 2025
Attachment G - Operator Assaults January 2025
Attachment H - Arrests by Race & Ethnicity January 2025
Attachment I - Law Enforcement Homeless Outreach January 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
