Meeting_Body
OPERATIONS, SAFETY AND CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE COMMITTEE
AUGUST 20, 2020
Subject
SUBJECT: MONTHLY UPDATE ON TRANSIT SAFETY AND SECURITY PERFORMANCE
Action
ACTION: RECEIVE AND FILE
Heading
RECOMMENDATION
Title
RECEIVE AND FILE Transit Safety and Security Report
Issue
ISSUE
This report reflects June 2020 performance data as reported under the transit policing deployment strategy which is a combination of in-house fare compliance officers, private security for fixed post assets and a multi-agency law enforcement deployment strategy by the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LASD), and Long Beach Police Department (LBPD). In addition, the report highlights initiatives from the System Security and Law Enforcement department and its efforts to create a safer environment for Metro employees and a safer experience for Metro customers.
BACKGROUND
The System Security and Law Enforcement (SSLE) department entered into a multi-agency policing partnership in 2017 to increase the number of police on the Metro system to provide a greater, more visible “felt presence” of police to help deter criminal activity on Metro buses and trains.
Discussion
DISCUSSION
DEPLOYMENT ANALYSIS AND FORMULA DEVELOPMENT
Transit Security has conducted the following review of overall deployment of resources and has taken the following actions.
• Evaluated RMI Security and their subcontractors’ deployments throughout the system. We have removed several assignments that were determined to be no longer needed and re-deployed several guards to new assignments. Following this assessment, the Department realized a total cost savings of approximately $35,155 per week.
Transit Security managerial staff will continue to assess the need for contract security throughout the Metro system and further adjust staffing as necessary.
Staff has also reviewed Transit Security Department’s overtime assignments to include supervisory assignments, priority assignments and special skill assignments (i.e., Dispatcher; Transit Watch; Training staff, etc.). These positions must be filled with straight time personnel unless the Director of Transit Security approves a deviation. We are currently looking to train additional personnel for these special skill assignments to further reduce overtime.
LAW ENFORCEMENT CONTRACT COMPLIANCE
Subsequent testing of the Mobile Phone Validator (MPV) dashboard has shown uneven to subpar results. When specific dates, times, deployment periods and watch/shift are researched the results are sporadic an undependable. After additional discussion with Axiom personnel, it was determined that this is likely a result of poor or no connectivity in the subterranean portions of the system. Once Officers enter the underground portion of the system, their location is not detected by the satellite which isolates their position until they surface again. Many Officers do not surface at all during a shift because they are assigned to stations or platforms that are underground. However, some officers, show up routinely and frequently on our map because many of their assignments are fixed posts at mezzanines, terraces, or other non-tunnel locations. On Monday June 29th, Axiom’s Project Manager, sent us an information sheet about how their satellite works, and addressed some questions about the poor connectivity and the impact on our mapping functionality. He admitted that the lack of connectivity will continue, and they currently do not have a solution.
An alternative to the map features could be a report conducted by the Mobile Device Manager (MDM) system, which would tell us which TAP cards (in this case, badges) were read and at what times. With this tool we could see which employees logged into the MPV application, at what time, and at which point they logged off. However, we have tried running reports on three different occasions and no reports were ever generated, Axiom personnel stated on July 14th that the reports function should be operational. We will continue to run reports and report any issues to Axiom. SSLE has begun to look at other vendors, or options that may provide a better solution. We will work with Metro IT to develop a Request for Proposal to determine if there are effective options.
TRANSIT SECURITY HIRING EFFORTS
Current Staffing Levels
As of 7/16/20:
|
Job Title |
# Budgeted |
# Filled |
Vacancies |
Capacity |
|
Transit Security LT |
5 |
5 |
0 |
100.00% |
|
Transit Security SGT |
12 |
10 |
2 |
83.33 % |
|
SR Transit Security OFCR |
15 |
13 |
2 |
86.67% |
|
Transit Security OFCR II |
75 |
72 |
3 |
98.67% |
|
Transit Security OFCR I |
77 |
67 |
10 |
87.01% |
|
TOTAL |
184 |
167 |
17 |
90.76% |
Hiring Plan
We have processed 161 applicants through the qualification process (interview, written assessment, physical agility, and live scan). Intake meetings are being completed with qualified candidates to select those suitable to continue with the process. Beginning July 27, 2020, we will process another 87 applicants.
Training: Metro Academy Program (MAP)
• M A P CLASS 18 -. The curriculum has been modified similarly to the Class 17 curriculum due to the unavailability of most 3rd party training vendors. Also, staffing of the training cadre will be modified because of the small size of the class as to have minimal impact on operations.
• ENHANCED SEXUAL HARASSMENT TRAINING - PowerPoint training completed at roll calls. 97% complete.
BUS OPERATOR ASSAULTS
In June, there were a total of (13) assaults on bus operators, with (6) assaults occurring in LAPD’s jurisdiction and (7) assaults occurring in LASD’s jurisdiction. All (13) assaults occurred on the bus system on different lines. Ten of the suspects were males and (3) of the suspects were females. Five suspects were arrested.
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT COVID-19 RESPONSE
The Emergency Management Department (EMD) has continued to support Metro’s Incident Management Team in the Agency’s response to COVID-19. EMD activated Metro’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC) starting March 10, 2020, and began coordination of bi-weekly Command Staff meetings, intelligence briefings and communication with local government and transit partners on regional response, best practices and real-time lessons learned during this incident.
EMD has implemented a Duty Officer Program, with 24/7 availability to aid Metro employees with any questions regarding Metro’s COVID-19 response, COVID-19 case tracking and reporting, and all incident related assistance or inquiries for information. Metro’s EOC has facilitated and/or provided guidance in notifications to staff, acquiring of emergency supplies, funding regulations & expense reimbursement strategies, safety protocols, regional transit communications (Joint Information Center), and requests from LA County and City EOCs.
Since March 10, 2020 the Emergency Management Department has facilitated the following for COVID-19 response activities:
• 60 Command Staff Meetings
• Over 200 Duty Officer calls
• 77 Command Staff Public Health Intelligence Briefs
• 92 Operational Periods of EOC Activation
• Through LA County Office of Emergency Management, acquired over 100,000 masks and other personal protective equipment and supplies, for employees
• Maintain direct communication with APTA & DHS/TSA/CISA, LA County Public Health, LA County Office of Emergency Management, and LA City Emergency Management Department COVID-19 Planning Groups
• Assisted in collecting data and facilitating the FEMA reimbursement application process for Metro’s COVID-19 response and mitigation expenses
Emergency Management has also procured emergency water with a 50-year shelf life and distributed to all divisions, locations and headquarters.
HOMELESS OUTREACH SERVICES
Updates are reflected on the Quarterly Homeless Outreach report.
SEXUAL HARASSMENT INITIATIVES
SSLE has developed a new Sexual Harassment response protocol and Sensitivity Training to better meet the needs of victims of sexual harassment while aboard Metro. Training was complete as of July 1, 2020 and internal and external Metro marketing materials have been updated.
PEACE OVER VIOLENCE PERFORMANCE JUNE 2020 METRICS
|
Performance Measure |
Number Served |
|
Total Sexual Harassment Cases Contacting POV |
2 |
|
Total Cases of Metro Located Sexual Harassment Contacting POV |
2 |
|
Total Number of Metro Riders Requesting Counseling Services |
2 |
|
Total Number of Police Reports Filed or Intended to File |
2 |
|
Total Number of Active Cases |
1 |
JUNE FULL BOARD MEETING
At June’s Full Board Meeting, Board Director Fasana requested a report back on how the changes in Metro’s fare enforcement have impacted our fare revenue. The FY20 budget assumption before COVID for fare revenue was approximately $23.7 million per month, of which $16.6M was estimated for Bus and $6.8M for Rail. The fare revenue collected after COVID-19 is around $1.2 to $1.6 million a month. This is a 95% drop in fare revenue since the Safe-at-Home orders were implemented.
The decrease in fare revenue is mostly attributed to a decrease in ridership as a result of the Safe-at-Home orders and Metro implementing rear-door boarding on buses to minimize contact between our bus operators and riders. Also, our fare enforcement officers realigned their efforts from fare enforcement to educating our riders on essential travel.
Next_Steps
NEXT STEPS
Staff will continue to monitor our law enforcement partners, private security, and Transit Security performance, monitor crime stats, and adjust deployment as necessary.
Attachments
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment A - System-Wide Law Enforcement Overview June 2020
Attachment B - MTA Supporting Data June 2020
Attachment C - Key Performance Indicators June 2020
Attachment D - Transit Police Summary June 2020
Prepared_by
Prepared by: Jimmy Abarca, Senior Administrative Analyst, System Security and Law Enforcement, (213) 922-2615
Reviewed_by
Reviewed by: Bob Green, Chief System Security and Law Enforcement Officer, (213) 922-4811
