Meeting_Body
SYSTEM SAFETY, SECURITY AND OPERATIONS COMMITTEE
SEPTEMBER 15, 2016
Subject/Action
SUBJECT: MONTHLY UPDATE ON TRANSIT POLICING PERFORMANCE
ACTION: RECEIVE AND FILE
Heading
RECOMMENDATION
Title
RECEIVE AND FILE monthly update on Transit Policing performance.
Issue
ISSUE
On September 4, 2014, the board requested that staff provide a monthly update on transit policing performance to Systems Safety and Operations Committee. Specifically, the board requested monthly updates on criminal activity, fare enforcement, response time, deployment and perception of safety.
Discussion
DISCUSSION
In July 2016, staff continues to be proactive in working with Operations, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LASD), and Communications in addressing perception of safety, criminal activity, fare enforcement, response time, and deployment.
In the new law enforcement services contract, staff is including key performance indicators as tools to track performance.
Below are the key highlights for July 2016:
Actions to Improve the Ridership Experience
• Staff is utilizing Problem Oriented Policing strategies to develop innovative solutions at the Westlake/MacArthur Park Station.
• Staff is developing a strategic plan to address homelessness on the Metro Transit System.
• High Visibility
• Transit Security Officers (TSO) and Los Angeles County Sheriffs (LASD) have been engaging and interacting with patrons and operators to increase presence and increase the perception of safety on the Metro system. LASD has a 20 deputy train riding team (10 cover the Red and Gold Lines and 10 cover Blue, Expo and Green Lines. The goal of these operations is to combat quality of life issues on the Metro system. TSO’s conduct high visibility both on bus and rail.
§ TSO High Visibility Activity:
§ LASD High Visibility Activity: The total number of LASD train rides for the month of July 2016 is 1,548. The total number of fares checks in the month of July 2016 is 71,740.
Criminal Activity:
JULY 2016
Bus Operator Assaults:
• From January to July 2016, there were 72 operator assaults. Of the 72 total operator assaults, 36% of the total assaults have had a suspect taken into custody. The majority of bus operator assaults are caused by fare related followed by missed stop.
• Comparing January-July 2015 to January-July 2016, Operator Assaults have decreased 20%.
• Of the 72 total operator assaults from January to July 2016, there were 64 non-aggravated assaults, 6 aggravated assaults, and 2 sex crimes. The method of assault was as follows: 34 used hands/feet, 23 used spit, 5 threw cold liquid, 4 threw an object, 3 used a weapon, there were 2 sex crimes and there was 1 robbery.
• Attachment B contains the matrix for the suspects who have assaulted Bus Operators that LASD has been tracking.
• From January to July 2016, there were 180,395,346 bus boardings and 72 total operator assaults, equating to 1 bus operator assault per 2.5 million boardings.
Operator Safety:
• The Metro Communications team completed phase 1 in July 2016 for a campaign targeted at reducing Bus Operator assaults.
• The ongoing Transit Ambassador Program focuses on classes that address conflict resolution for Operators and Supervisors.
• Metro Operations is continuing to move forward with the installation of barriers and monitors in the remaining serviceable fleet.
• For the rest of Metro’s fleet (about 1300 buses), staff will be starting a program to retrofit operator barriers onto buses starting in June 2016. This program is expected to run for approximately 24 months. Staff is also developing a new program to have video monitors retrofit onto the rest of Metro’s bus fleet.
• As of August 16, 2016 the Metro New Flyer Buses that in service are as follows:
o Number of New Flyer buses in service = 825 of 900
o Number of buses “in-service” with protective barriers = 655
o Number of buses “in-service” with live video monitors = 800
o All other New Flyer Buses are on track to be retrofitted with barriers by the end of 2016.
Significant Activities
• 7/4/2016 - On this date at Hollywood/Vine Station, a Metro custodian notified a Metro Transit Security Officer of a male sleeping on the platform with a gun seen on his waist. Metro Transit Security contacted LA Sheriff’s Transit Policing Division (TPD) and stood by at the station for a response. TPD arrived and the subject was taken into custody. The weapon was determined to be an air BB gun. The male was transported for a parole violation.
• 7/21/2016 - On this day TPD Detectives were assigned a fraud case involving an individual using a stolen credit card to purchase large amounts of TAP cards. To date, over $400,000 had been spent using the credit card. Working with the credit card company, TPD Detectives were notified when the card was being used. At about 3:05 PM on July 22, 2016, El Monte deputies were advised that the card was being used at the El Monte Station. Deputies searched the area and detained a suspect who had the card in question and numerous fraudulently purchased TAP cards in his possession.
• 7/31/2016 - TPD Gold Line deputies responded to the Soto station regarding a call of a man beating a woman at approximately 3:45 PM. When deputies arrived they found the suspect and the victim still engaged in an argument. The couple was separated and an investigation initiated. It was quickly learned that the suspect had a long history of physical and mental abuse of the victim and that this was the latest time that police were called to the suspect’s tirade. Deputies arrested the male suspect for domestic violence and provided the female victim with options for shelters and victims assistance.
Fare Enforcement:
• In July 2016, law enforcement performed 1,024,112 fare checks on the rails and Orange Line. Based on the monthly targets, in July 2016 law enforcement had an 11% saturation rate.
• Based on the chart, green checks occur when a patron has valid fare and has tapped at a turnstile or stand-alone validator. Yellow checks occur when a patron has valid fare, but failed to TAP at a transfer point. Red checks occur when a patron either has a daily/weekly/monthly pass and has not tapped at all during their trip, has stored value and failed to TAP, or has no stored value.
• At the discretion of the fare inspector, patrons are encouraged to make payment at the ticket vending machine or TAP their card on the validator in lieu of receiving a citation.
Traffic Enforcement Activity in the Bus Rapid Transit Lanes:
• In July 2016, there were 18 “Failure to Obey Signs” citations issued on Wilshire Blvd.
Response Time:
• In July 2016, the average response time for “Calls for Service” (Emergency, Priority and Routine) for all rail lines and buses was 19 minutes.
• LASD currently complies with Metro’s Performance Metrics requirement of average of 30 minutes for calls for service. The response time for emergency calls was 5.4 minutes for July 2016.
Attachments
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment A - Transit Policing Division Report July 2016
Attachment B - Matrix of Bus Operator Assault Suspects
Prepared_by
Prepared by: Alex Wiggins, Chief, System Security and Law Enforcement, (213) 922-4433
Reviewed_By
Reviewed by:
Stephanie Wiggins, Deputy Chief Executive Officer, (213) 922-1023
