File #: 2016-0858   
Type: Informational Report Status: Agenda Ready
File created: 10/20/2016 In control: System Safety, Security and Operations Committee
On agenda: 1/19/2017 Final action:
Title: RECEIVE AND FILE monthly update on Transit Policing performance.
Sponsors: System Safety, Security and Operations Committee
Indexes: Barriers (Roads), Call For Projects, City of Los Angeles, Informational Report, Irwindale, Law enforcement, Light rail transit, Los Angeles Sheriffs Department, Metro Blue Line, Metro Divisions, Metro Exposition Line, Metro Gold Line, Metro Orange Line, Metro Rail A Line, Metro Red Line, Pilot studies, Police, Program, Retrofitting, Ridership, Rolling stock, Safety, Safety and security, Strategic planning, System safety, Threats, Transit Homeless Action Plan, Transit safety, Video, Visibility, Weapons, Westlake/Macarthur Park Station
Attachments: 1. Attachment A - Transit Policing Division Report September - November 2016, 2. Attachment B - Matrix of Bus Operator Assault Suspects

Meeting_Body

SYSTEM SAFETY, SECURITY AND OPERATIONS COMMITTEE

JANUARY 19, 2017

 

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 October 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 November 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 September-November 2016:

 

Actions to Improve the Ridership Experience

 

Metro is committed to providing a safe and quality ridership experience for all of its customers. To minimize blight and disorder on the Metro system in part caused by homelessness (encampments, loitering without fare, etc.) and illegal vending, Metro has launched two programs: The Homeless Task Force and the Vendor Pilot Program at Westlake/MacArthur Park.

 

 

 

 

1)                     Homeless Task Force

 

As part of Metro’s broader Homeless Strategic Plan, in November 2016 Metro launched a Homeless Task Force, a working group of homeless organizations and stakeholders interested in providing transit specific solutions to the LA County homeless crisis.   These Task Force meetings are in progress with meetings through December 2016. The Homeless Strategic Plan will be finalized in January 2017 will come to the Board shortly thereafter.

 

2)                     Westlake/ McArthur Park Vendor Pilot Program

 

To control the voluminous non-permitted illegal vending at Metro’s Red/Purple Line Westlake/ McArthur Park station, Metro has partnered with Supervisor Solis and Los Angeles City Council Office, Gil Cedillo to launch a controlled Vendor Pilot Program. The result of this pilot program is to minimize blight and disorder at this station by eliminating unpermitted street vending on Metro Property, ensure safe boarding and alighting of bus patrons and to ultimately transform the station plaza into an inviting environment.

 

The Vendor Pilot Program is anticipated to launch by mid-January 2017.

 

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 September 2016, is 1464, October 2016 is 1,003 and for November 2016 is 1,307.  The total number of fares checked in the month of September 2016 is 73,518, October 2016 is 52,853 and for November 2016, 74,631.

 

 

 

 

Criminal Activity:

 

SEPTEMBER 2016:

 

 

 

 

 

OCTOBER 2016:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NOVEMBER 2016:

 

 

Bus Operator Assaults:

 

•                     From January to November 2016, there were 109 operator assaults.  Of the 109 total operator assaults, 33% 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-November 2015 to January-November 2016, Operator Assaults have decreased 31%. 

 

•                     Of the 109 total operator assaults from January to November 2016, there were 91 non-aggravated assaults, 13 aggravated assaults, 3 sex crimes, and 2 robberies.  The method of assault was as follows: 52 used hands/feet, 32 used spit, 7 threw cold liquid, 8 threw an object, 5 used a weapon, there were 3 sex crimes, and 2 robberies.

 

•                     Attachment B contains the matrix for the suspects who have assaulted Bus Operators that LASD has been tracking.

 

•                     From January to November 2016, there were 257,231,152 bus boardings and 109 total operator assaults, equating to 1 bus operator assault per 2.3 million boardings.

 

Operator Safety:

 

•                     The Metro Communications team completed phase one 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 December 12, 2016 the Metro New Flyer Buses that in service are as follows:

 

o                     Number of New Flyer buses in service (LA Metro & Contract Services) = 893 of 900

o                     Number of buses “in-service” with protective barriers = 849

o                     Number of buses “in-service” with live video monitors = 861

o                     All other New Flyer Buses are on track to be retrofitted with barriers by the end of 2016

 

Significant Activities

 

•                     9/10/2016 - Threat Interdiction Units, from the Central Operations Bureau, LASD attended the Irwindale Speedway’s First Responder Appreciation Parade. During the well-attended event TIU deputies, who brought the Active Response Vehicle ( SWAT Type) and several of their response vehicles to participate in the parade, signed autographs, and took photos with kids and veterans. 

                     

Response from the several hundred race fans was overwhelming, especially when all of the first responders went around the track with lights and sirens.

 

•                     9/29/2016 - At 8:59 AM, Transit Security revenue Unit 1-V-3, Officer Allen, Officer Orodoyan contacted a missing at risk minor at Union Station, West. Transit Security Sgt. Solis requested for rescue, and a female Officer.  Minor was transported to USC Medical Center by LA City Fire. Long Beach Police was also notified regarding missing at risk.

 

•                     9/29/2016 -  LASD Transit Bureau North Captain Jennifer Bateman, was joined by Gold Line Sector Lieutenant Michael Mendoza, along with several North Bureau team leader deputies, for the inaugural First Responder Appreciation Breakfast presented by the Irwindale Chamber of Commerce.  All of the law enforcement, fire, and ambulance services that service the City of Irwindale were honored for their commitment to the community.

 

The LASD Transit Policing Division was honored for policing the Gold Line Extension and working closely with the local leaders to keep Irwindale residents safe when they go Metro.

 

•                     11/18/16- At approximately 4:50 p.m., Sheriff’s Transit Bureau South units received a call of a man on an Expo Line train threatening that he had a firearm and a bomb on board.

 

Deputies arrived within minutes to the Expo/USC Station and began to evacuate the train. However, they were unable to initially locate the suspect.  Witness pointed deputies toward where the suspect was believed to have gone.  Deputies located the suspect at the corner of Figueroa st. and State st and he was taken into custody without incident.

 

Neither weapons nor explosives were found in his possession.  He was arrested and booked for making terroristic threats.  There was minimal impact to the Expo Line Train Operations.

 

•                     11/25/16- A Transit Bureau North Lieutenant was patrolling on the Red Line when he came upon a person loitering while having his cell phone plugged into a Metro power outlet.  As the Lieutenant attempted to unplug the phone, the suspect attempted to interfere with him in the performance of his duties.  Other deputies arrived to assist the Lieutenant.  Although the suspect attempted to fight and struggle with deputies, they were able to gain control of him although he was behaving as if he had a weapon.

 

The suspect complained of injury, but was medically treated and given an OK to book for his crimes. 

 

The investigation into this incident is ongoing.

 

•                     11/1-30/2016- During the month of November, Transit Policing Deputies and Supervisors began high visibility operations focusing on the Blue Line.  The additional patrols have been met with positive public comments.

 

 

Fare Enforcement:

 

•                     In September 2016, law enforcement performed 727,198 fare checks on the rails and Orange Line. Based on the monthly targets, in September 2016 law enforcement had a 8% saturation rate. In October 2016, law enforcement performed 809,732 fare checks on the rails and Orange Line.  Based on the monthly targets, in October 2016 law enforcement had a 9% saturation rate. In November 2016, law enforcement performed 525,744 fare checks on the rails and Orange Line.  Based on the monthly targets, in November 2016 law enforcement had a 6% 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.

 

•                     The fluctuation of ticket issuance is due to transition of fare enforcement from LASD to Metro Transit Security.

 

•                     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 November 2016, there were 204 “Failure to Obey Signs” citations issued on Wilshire Blvd.

 

 

 

Response Time:

 

•                     In September 2016, the average response time for “Calls for Service” (Emergency, Priority, and Routine) for all rail lines and buses was 16.5 minutes. October 2016, the average response time for “Calls for Service” (Emergency, Priority and Routine) for all rail lines and buses was 17.99 minutes.  In November 2016, the average response time for “Calls for Service” (Emergency, Priority and Routine) for all rail lines and buses was 16.48 minutes.

 

•                     LASD reports emergency call responses averaged 6.20 minutes in September 2016; 6.33 minutes in October 2016; 6.23 minutes in November 2016.

 

Attachments

ATTACHMENTS

 

Attachment A - Transit Policing Division Report September-November 2016

Attachment B - Matrix of Bus Operator Assault Suspects

 

Prepared_by

Prepared by:  Alex Z Wiggins, Chief, System Security and Law Enforcement, (213) 922-4433

 

Reviewed_By

Reviewed by:

 Stephanie Wiggins, Deputy Chief Executive Officer, (213) 922-1023