Metro - File #: 2024-1124

• File #: 2024-1124
• Type: Motion / Motion Response
• Status: Agenda Ready
• File created: 12/11/2024
• In control: Operations, Safety, and Customer Experience Committee
• On agenda: 2/27/2025
• Title: RECEIVE AND FILE the Weapons Detection System Proof-of-Concept Pilot Findings.
• Sponsors: Board of Directors - Regular Board Meeting
• Indexes: Accessibility, Accuracy, APU/Citrus College Station, Artificial intelligence, Bandwidth (Traffic signals), Design build, Location 199, Los Angeles Union Station, Maintenance, Metro Divisions, Metro Rail A Line, Metro Rail B Line, Metro Rail D Line, Motion / Motion Response, Pedestrians, Privacy, Public policy, Queuing, Research, Retrofitting, Rolling stock, Safety, Safety and security, Security, System safety, Testing, Threats, Transit System, Video, Walking, Weapons
• Related files: 2025-0164, 2025-0224

Date	Action By	Action	Result
2/27/2025	Board of Directors - Regular Board Meeting

Meeting_Body
REGULAR BOARD MEETING
FEBRUARY 27, 2025

Subject
SUBJECT: WEAPONS DETECTION SYSTEMS PILOT FINDINGS

Action
ACTION: RECEIVE AND FILE

Heading
RECOMMENDATION

Title
RECEIVE AND FILE the Weapons Detection System Proof-of-Concept Pilot Findings.

Issue
ISSUE

At its July 2024 meeting, the Board approved a proof-of-concept pilot of two weapons detection technologies - millimeter-wave radar detection and dual-lane detection systems - at two transit hubs on the rail system to deter weapons off Metro's transit system. Over the past four months, multiple vendors provided equipment at no cost to the agency to demonstrate how this technology could work on the Metro system. This report provides the findings of these proof-of-concept pilots.

Background
BACKGROUND

At its April 2024 meeting, Directors Barger, Krekorian, Hahn, Najarian, Butts, and Solis authored Motion 34.1 (Attachment A), directing staff to perform an assessment of several security initiatives, including recommendations related to weapons detection.
Metro's Customer Code of Conduct prohibits "weapons or instruments intended for use as a weapon" (6-05-020.S), and through piloting advanced detection technology, Metro aimed to evaluate its effectiveness in identifying potential threats, supporting enforcement efforts, and enhancing overall security.

At its July 2024 meeting, the Board authorized the piloting of two weapons detection systems -millimeter wave technology and a dual-lane system- over a 30-day period at two Metro stations. At the time, the focus was on evaluating walkthrough screening technologies to detect concealed weapons efficiently while minimizing disruption to passenger flow.

As part of this process, Metro staff also researched lessons learned from peer transit agencies to identify best practices and potential challenges. Within the last year, the New York Metropolitan Transit Authority (NY MTA), Chicago Transit Authority (CTA), and Southeast Pennsylvania Transi...