Meeting_Body
OPERATIONS, SAFETY AND CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE COMMITTEE
JULY 15, 2021
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
As of June 2021, Metro System Security & Law Enforcement (SSLE) will be revising and updating the performance data to improve accuracy and details related to KPIs for its multi-agency law enforcement deployment strategies provided by the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LASD), and Long Beach Police Department (LBPD). As such, crime data for June and July will be available for the next Board Reporting period. To avoid discrepancies related to crime reclassifications and consistent with contract terms and conditions, SSLE will have all data submitted by the 15th of every month, which will provide ample time for staff to review, thereby providing the Board with complete and accurate data. This month’s report will not provide any detailed crime data attachments pending the implementation of this new process; however, other key updates are highlighted to share progress on safety and security initiatives and milestones. In the interim, SSLE Executive Staff will be available to provide any specific request for crime data and information for the current month as available.
Background
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 terrorism and criminal activity on Metro buses and trains.
Discussion
DISCUSSION
LAW ENFORCEMENT CONTRACT COMPLIANCE
The SSLE Administration and Compliance unit continue to work on contract performance reviews of the three (3) law enforcement contracts. Effective February 14, 2021, a ‘Technical Review of Responsibilities Audit’ was conducted. The purpose of this review was to verify the adherence to contract specific responsibilities, which in part holds our law enforcement partners accountable for riding Metro buses and trains, patrolling buses, rail stations/corridors, and maintaining high visibility at key Metro critical infrastructures by requiring all field Officers/Deputies on duty to tap their Metro issued badge at all TAP machines.
The review from March 31, 2021, to April 30, 2021, entailed a deployment sample, where documentation regarding field personnel was evaluated for one (1) shift, location, and one (1) day per week. When performing the review, law enforcement Daily Deployment Schedules regarding field personnel and the Metro Transit Access Pass (TAP) reports were cross-referenced to ensure that the officers indicated on the daily deployment schedules did serve at their respective details.
Upon reviewing the sample size of this technical review of responsibilities, discrepancies were discovered and shared with the law enforcement partners requesting supporting information for those field Officers/Deputies listed on their scheduled deployments but not reflected on the Metro TAP reports. After reviewing the supporting information, it was determined that the Officers/Deputies from the daily deployment schedule had indeed served at their respective details.
METRO TRANSIT SECURITY (MTS)
Effective June 14, 2021, MTS implemented a Quality Service Audit (QSA) program that will be key in assessing how the department is meeting the goal of delivering an outstanding experience for patrons and superior customer service for our ridership community. The QSA’s will be conducted at random by MTS supervisors who will contact internal and external business partners and stakeholders who interact with MTS personnel. The supervisors will meet with their employees to provide feedback and training in any areas of opportunity to improve service. The data will be used to evaluate progress towards achieving our department’s strategic plan and allow for supervisors to provide timely responses to issues. The QSA’s are also designed to be a monthly report to measure and enhance customer perception of safety, security, customer service, and public sentiment towards MTS. All MTS personnel will be audited once during each calendar year.
Our full-time training unit began a new MAP training academy for four (4) new recruits: three (3) TSO I and one (1) Sergeant starting Monday, June 28, 2021. The MAP training academy is comprised of in-house security training, Metro-mandated training (Talent Development), and third-party training when deemed beneficial or necessary. This program is now a 320-hour curriculum that spans eight weeks. Graduates will have earned a POST (Peace Officers Standards and Training) PC 832 Arrest certification, CA BSIS (Bureau of Security and Investigative Services) Guard certification, BSIS Baton Permit and pepper spray training, Verbal Defense and Influence certification, and three FEMA NIMS (National Incident Management System ICS 100, 200, 700) certifications. The training also includes multiple training topics, including Use of Force and De-escalation tactics, Customer Service, Implicit Bias, Mental Health, Verbal Judo, and Rail Safety.
BUS OPERATIONS SECURITY
SSLE continues to monitor for any patterns related to crimes impacting bus operations to include immediate response and investigations pertaining to operator assaults. Specific June and July crime data will be analyzed as it becomes available to inform daily security operations.
MOTION #35 UPDATES
Contained within Motion 35 are the “Eight Can't-Wait” reforms for ‘Use of Force’ that are within Campaign Zero. Metro Transit Security is in the meet and confer process with its unions to update our Use of Force Policy. The remaining agencies are working on the last few recommendations.
Metro’s Transit Security draft Use of Force (UOF) policy was sent to the AFSCME and Teamsters unions for review. Currently, both unions have their legal teams reviewing the policy. A meet and confer with Teamsters occurred on June 7, 2021. Once the unions’ legal teams complete their review, a follow-up meeting will be scheduled, and we will report back in September with an update.
LASD and LBPD have completed their UOF policy review. LASD met with SSLE management and is making progress on the remaining two recommendations. SSLE management provided LASD with contact information for Campaign Zero to have their changes reviewed. LBPD continues to work with a Community Advisory Group to review and provide input to LBPD’s UOF policy. We will report back in September with an update.
SEXUAL HARASSMENT
Peace Over Violence Performance Metrics for the month of June will be available for the next board report. Metro continues to promote awareness about sexual harassment and maintains zero-tolerance for sexual harassment incidents.
EQUITY PLATFORM
Metro Transit Security (MTS) staff is improving equitable outcomes for marginalized and vulnerable groups by ensuring our security officers are trained in core areas such as ‘Use of Force,’ Implicit Bias, De-escalation/Verbal Judo and Customer Service to ensure all our riders are treated fairly and not on the basis of prejudice and stereotypes. MTS staff monitors training compliance and performance. This includes current personnel and new hires. Additionally, the new random Quality Service Audits (QSA) will provide a key assessment tool to help measure and enhance customers perception of safety, security, customer service, and public sentiment towards MTS. While calls for service will be randomly selected for the QSAs, Metro will track to ensure the selections provide a representative sampling of our internal and external business partners and stakeholders who interact with MTS personnel.
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.
Prepared_by
Prepared by: Jimmy Abarca, Senior Administrative Analyst, System Security and Law Enforcement, (213) 922-2615
Reviewed_by
Reviewed by: Judy Gerhardt, Chief System Security and Law Enforcement Officer, (213) 922-4811
