Meeting_Body
EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE
OPERATIONS, SAFETY, AND CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE COMMITTEE
OCTOBER 15, 2026
Subject
SUBJECT: DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY IMPLEMENTATION PLAN UPDATE
Action
ACTION: RECEIVE AND FILE
Heading
RECOMMENDATION
Title
RECEIVE AND FILE the quarterly update on the Department of Public Safety (DPS) Implementation Plan.
Issue
ISSUE
In alignment with Metro’s mission and comprehensive safety and security framework, staff continue to implement the plan to stand up Metro’s DPS. This report serves as a status report to the Board on the implementation progress of the new department.
Background
BACKGROUND
At its June 2024 meeting, the Board adopted the DPS Implementation Plan, formerly named the Transit Community Public Safety Department, and approved the department’s phased establishment over five years. The Board directed staff to report quarterly on the implementation progress.
Following the Board’s approval of the Implementation Plan, the CEO assembled an interdepartmental task force to support the establishment of the department. The task force was composed of members of Metro’s key departments, including Homeless Outreach Management and Engagement, Customer Experience, System Security and Law Enforcement (now named Emergency Management and Security Division), Chief People Office, and the Office of the Chief of Staff. Since the hiring of the Chief of Police and Emergency Management, the task force has been refined and is being led under his leadership. Additionally, the CEO established a Transition Team Advisory group, consisting of multidisciplinary subject-matter experts, to advise staff on key aspects of the plan.
Phase One implementation plan activities for the DPS were completed in FY25, including the recruitment and appointment of the Chief of Police and Emergency Management, the establishment of a transition team, the initial formulation of hiring and recruitment strategies for sworn officers and non-sworn positions, and the development of procurement plans.
Discussion
DISCUSSION
Developing and Integrating the Care-Based Services Division
The integration of care-based programs is essential to how Metro will address public safety, working in lockstep with law enforcement to provide a cohesive approach that addresses safety at all levels and creates a culture of inclusive collaboration. DPS’s Care-Based Services Division has four programs: Metro Ambassadors, Community Intervention Specialists (CIS), Homeless Outreach Management & Engagement (HOME), and Crisis Response Teams. The first three programs transitioned into DPS in early January, while the fourth program, Crisis Response Teams, is in development and expected to be active this fiscal year. These four programs will contain nearly half of the field-based personnel within the department, the largest being Metro Ambassadors.
Staff continues with several key steps in developing the Crisis Response Program, including:
• Hiring a Senior Director for program oversight - Completed FY26 Q1
• Developing an operational manual and standard operating procedures - Completed FY26 Q4; This work included successful execution of a Memorandum of Understanding with the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health in early July 2026 for prioritization of response when Metro’s Crisis Response Team encounters someone requiring a 5150 evaluation.
• Developing job descriptions - Completed FY26 Q4
• Developing an onboarding program - Completed FY27 Q1; The onboarding program includes Metro mandatory training, outside agency presentations providing information regarding their services, and Crisis Response Program (CRP) shadowing of Metro’s Homeless Outreach Management Engagement (HOME) Team. Onboarding will take place over a two-to three-week span for all new team members.
• Identifying and integrating HIPAA-compliant practices - Ongoing; Staff continues to engage with County Counsel to understand the scope of HIPAA and how its guiding principles may intersect with the work of the Crisis Response Program (CRP). Efforts continue on the identification and integration of HIPAA-compliant practices.
• Identifying and developing essential crisis response training - Ongoing; Staff has developed essential crisis response trainings for the Crisis Response Program, including Crisis Prevention and Response in the Field, Culturally Responsive Crisis Care in the Field, Motivational Interviewing, and Harm Reduction. These trainings are incorporated into the onboarding for new CRP staff and will be available for ongoing professional development to strengthen existing DPS staff’s understanding of behavioral health. Staff will also leverage Metro’s suite of trainings made available by the Chief People Office and Metro’s Employee Assistance Program to ensure effective crisis response, engagement, de-escalation, and service connection occur during deployment. Initial training will take place over two to three weeks during onboarding, and individual trainings will be required annually, taking two to eight hours each to complete. Staff will continue to research and identify additional training needs as the program develops.
• Continue recruiting crisis response teams - Ongoing; Collaboration continues with Metro’s Chief People Office for recruitment of all Crisis Response Program staff. To date, one Clinical Manager position has been filled with a pending start date, and a second Clinical Manager is currently in recruitment. The remaining positions (Mental Health Specialists and Peer Support Specialists) will begin recruitment in the second half of the fiscal year, contingent on budget approval.
Biweekly meetings between members from each public safety layer have focused on defining roles and responsibilities, identifying improvements in data collection and utilization, innovations in communication, and deployment strategies across the service area.
Hiring and Recruitment Progress
Hiring of Care-Based Services Personnel
To support the development and operation of the care-based programs, Metro recruited two Deputy Executive Officers (DEOs) - one to oversee the Ambassador and Community Intervention Specialist (CIS) programs, and the other to oversee the Homeless Outreach Management and Engagement teams and Crisis Response Teams. Both positions have been filled - one candidate began in late June, and the other began mid-August. In addition, two Clinical Manager positions for the Crisis Response Teams were posted in June, which will mark the first Crisis Response team program hires since the Senior Director joined in the summer of 2025. Interviews have been conducted, and one of two selections has been made. The Ambassador program has also continued to expand, with 27 new Ambassadors joining the team in August.
Recognizing the potential challenges of recruiting care-based personnel for a transit agency, DPS and CPO staff coordinate regularly on recruitment strategies to reach the right candidates. So far, positions have been posted through a variety of entities beyond the typical ones used by Metro, including educational institutions, national and state organizations that represent social service professionals, and job search engines that specifically focus on social service jobs.
Sworn Personnel Hiring Update
DPS went live with its officer hiring website on May 28. As of September 29, 6,711 applications have been received for new recruits and 300 for lateral officers. Staff is prioritizing filling the 40 authorized positions in FY27, which will also support the development of the department’s Field Training Officer program.
The sworn officer hiring process is comprehensive and requires adherence to California statutory requirements and California Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) regulations. Of the lateral applicants, 56 have advanced to the background stage, one of the most extensive steps in the hiring process, which typically lasts about eight weeks. Staff anticipates hiring the first group of laterals before the end of the calendar year, followed by a four-week Metro orientation and training program, with initial deployment planned for late Spring 2027. Furthermore, staff continues to work with the Chief People Office and Marketing to advertise the position as it anticipates needing approximately an additional 200 applicants to fill its authorized FY27 positions.
In addition to officer hiring, we are actively recruiting Transit Police Sergeants, a key leadership role in the command structure. The job posting went live on August 13, with 79 applications received as of September 29, and candidate interviews are currently underway.
Training
DPS is in the process of designing a four-week orientation program for the onboarding of new public safety personnel, balancing core operational policies, specialized crisis engagement, high-risk safety certifications, and partner agency field integration.
• Week 1 (Foundations & Safety): Establishes foundational knowledge through Metro’s mission, vision, and values, benefits overviews, equipment issuance, and a DPS orientation. It features an intensive day of Care-Based Services training focused on crisis response, de-escalation, and trauma-informed engagement, followed by an 8-hour Metro Rail Safety certification and administrative facility onboarding. This first week will also cover civil rights, unconscious bias, and equity, presented by Metro’s Office of Equity and Race.
• Week 2 (Operations & Specialized Teams): Outlines core transit security functions across Metro Transit Security (MTS) and contracted security teams, detailing patrol areas, fare enforcement, roles, and responsibilities. It also covers Emergency Management, Physical Security tools, and the Station Experience Team.
• Week 3 (Tactics & Skills): Focuses on critical law enforcement training, beginning with Use of Force legal standards (Graham v. Connor). It advances to field tactics-including vehicle, bus, and pedestrian stops, alongside building searches-and concludes with comprehensive firearms manipulation and qualification.
• Week 4 (Agency Integration & Field Readiness): Embeds new DPS sworn officers with external partner agencies via shadowing shifts with LAPD Homeless Outreach Proactive Engagement (HOPE) Team (encampment response), LAPD Senior Lead Officers, and LASD North/South teams.
Policy Development
Metro has contracted with Lexipol to develop a comprehensive policy manual for sworn officers, providing the standards necessary for consistent, lawful, and professional operations. A working group, comprised of representatives from key Metro departments and County Counsel, continued to meet and has finalized the majority of the policies that will govern sworn officers. DPS is working to complete the remaining policies currently being vetted by County Counsel. Once complete, the policy manual will be ready to support the deployment of newly hired sworn officers later this year.
Facilities and Zone-Based Deployment
To support the zone-based deployment model, a cross-functional working group comprised of staff from Operations, Real Estate, DPS, and other Metro departments has been meeting regularly to assess existing facilities within each of the seven zones and determine whether they can adequately support sworn officer deployment. Where gaps exist, the group is evaluating options for establishing satellite offices within each zone to reduce officer travel time, improve response times, and increase operational efficiency. Options under consideration include co-locating DPS sworn officers, Transit Security, and care-based personnel in strategically located facilities in each zone across Los Angeles County. This approach will create a more integrated public safety presence within each zone and improve coordination among the various public safety units. Preliminary options will be submitted for department leadership review in the coming months.
Contracts and Agreements
Staff have developed a comprehensive procurement strategy to ensure Metro can acquire the resources, equipment, technology, and infrastructure necessary to establish and operate the new DPS.
Metro retained DeltaWRX to conduct a comprehensive technology assessment, including an evaluation of existing systems, identification of operational gaps, and recommendations for technologies required to support a fully functioning police department. Staff has been meeting regularly to prioritize technology needs, develop a communications and dispatch strategy, and determine what technology will be needed to deploy the first group of officers. Short-term and long-term technology needs include Computer-Aided Dispatch (CAD), Records Management Systems (RMS), radio communications, 911 call handling, and other critical public safety technologies.
Staff is also working to acquire patrol cars for new officers and anticipate going to the Board later this year for contract award. Furthermore, staff is developing solicitation packages to procure uniforms for care-based staff and expand the network of medical clinics available to move candidates through the recruitment process.
Stakeholder Coordination
A strategic engagement plan for Chief Scott ensures he engages with riders, key internal and external stakeholders, and media, in order to keep the public informed about the new Department and the progress the agency has made towards creating a comprehensive and integrated public safety ecosystem.
Since the last quarterly update, Chief Scott and DPS senior leadership have held more than 50 engagements. This includes providing the latest implementation updates to the Public Safety Advisory Committee; meeting with the Transition Team Advisory Group to discuss sworn officer hiring and recruitment; and sitting on a panel to discuss safety initiatives used during the FIFA World Cup and security plans for LA28. Chief Scott also completed virtual interviews with Lochner Egis Group and LAist to share lessons learned from the conclusion of the FIFA World Cup and the agency’s fare policy, respectively.
Chief Scott recognizes that relationships with key stakeholders must either be created, restarted, and/or strengthened in order for the Department to best serve the safety of Metro riders and frontline personnel. The Chief will continue to engage with various stakeholders and provide them with updates on the progress of standing up the department.
Transition Team Advisory Group
The Transition Team Advisory Group met on August 25, 2026, to receive updates and provide input on key elements of the Department of Public Safety’s implementation. The discussion included the status of sworn officer hiring and recruitment and a review of the Body-Worn Camera and Bias-Free Policing policies being developed for the sworn officer policy manual. The Advisory Group also continued its discussion with Dr. Rebecca Hetey on organizational culture, with a focus on establishing a high-trust department grounded in employee wellness, collaboration, accountability, community engagement, and shared ownership of the mission. The group received an update on the development of the Care-Based Services Division, including the Crisis Response Program, staffing, and draft of the Standard Operating Procedures. Finally, Deputy Chief Stiger presented the framework for a 12-month integrated training program, building on the four-week orientation, designed to align training across all five public safety tiers, including sworn officers, and to emphasize de-escalation, procedural justice, collaboration, and coordinated response. The previously mentioned four-week orientation for sworn personnel is separate from this 12-week program. Every lateral or new hire will complete the four-week orientation prior to being deployed on the system. Once deployed, they will be integrated into the 12-month training cycle that all DPS employees deployed on the system are required to complete.
Equity_Platform
EQUITY PLATFORM
The DPS will implement safeguards, training, and oversight based on agency priorities, promoting equitable treatment of riders per the Board-approved Bias-Free Policing Policy and supporting a transit policing style with engaged visibility. Furthermore, staff is developing a comprehensive policy manual and orientation training program for incoming sworn officers to ensure consistent, lawful, and professional operations across all areas of the DPS. Concurrently, to ensure the new Department is well-balanced to serve different needs, staff continue to develop the Crisis Response Program in the Care-Based Services Division.
As DPS is building out the department, staff continues to regularly brief the Public Safety Advisory Committee on its progress. Staff also maintains regular communication with other Metro advisory bodies, providing updates and answering questions from advisory members.
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.
As part of these ongoing efforts, this item is expected to contribute to further reductions in VMT. This item supports Metro’s systemwide strategy to reduce VMT through operational activities that will improve and further encourage transit ridership through enhancing safety on the Metro system and providing an improved customer experience. 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
Staff will continue to actively engage employees and the public during the implementation of the DPS. Staff will report back to the Board quarterly with progress updates.
Prepared_by
Prepared by: Imelda Hernandez, Senior Director, Special Projects, (213) 922-4848
Reviewed_By
Reviewed by: William Scott, Chief of Police and Emergency Management, (213) 922-5448
