Meeting_Body
OPERATIONS, SAFETY AND CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE COMMITTEE
JULY 15, 2021
Subject
SUBJECT: PUBLIC SAFETY ADVISORY COMMITTEE (PSAC) QUARTERLY UPDATE
Action
ACTION: APPROVE RECOMMENDATIONS
Heading
RECOMMENDATION
Title
CONSIDER:
A. RECEIVING AND FILING Public Safety Advisory Committee (PSAC) quarterly update; and
B. APPROVING recommended compensation for members of the public serving on the PSAC (Attachment B).
Issue
ISSUE
This report reflects a quarterly update of progress in convening an advisory committee that will provide recommendations on how Metro can reimagine public safety on its system.
Background
BACKGROUND
In the June 2020 Regular Board Meeting, the Board of Directors approved motions 37 and 37.1 for Metro staff to form an advisory committee and, in partnership, develop a community-based approach to public safety on the transit system. Staff is to report back on a quarterly basis.
Discussion
DISCUSSION
System Security and Law Enforcement (SSLE) established an Internal Steering Committee comprising of the Office of the CEO that is inclusive of the Executive Officer for Customer Experience and Executive Officer for Equity and Race, Communications, Office of Civil Rights & Inclusion, and the Office of Inspector General that would work in designing and launching Metro’s first Public Safety Advisory Committee (PSAC). The following sections outline Metro’s update in convening such a committee.
MAY PSAC MEETINGS
On Wednesday, May 5, 2021, we had our third virtual PSAC meeting with over seventy (70) attendees. Agenda items included a group check-in, agreed-on ground rules for current and future PSAC meetings, and established a voting decision-making model for PSAC recommendations. Membership agreed and approved using a hybrid model that incorporates both consensus and a majority rule decision-making model. Moreover, Metro staff will take PSAC recommendations into account and will exercise a final executive decision model.
On Wednesday, May 19, 2021, we had our fourth virtual PSAC meeting with over sixty (60) attendees. The agenda included a discussion on the PSAC Charter & Bylaws, a Transit Ambassador Program Scoping introductory discussion, followed by a brief presentation of Short-Term Continuation of Programs. This included an introductory conversation on the next infrastructure protection services contract on which PSAC will provide feedback. The facilitators shared a high-level work plan, and the five (5) priorities converted into ad-hoc subcommittees. After receiving PSAC member feedback, the following ad-hoc subcommittees were recommended: Policing Contracts, Transit Ambassador Program and Training, Public Safety Survey, Infrastructure Protection Services, and Community Engagement.
JUNE PSAC MEETINGS
On Wednesday, June 2, 2021, we had our fifth virtual PSAC meeting with over sixty-five (65) attendees. Sign language and Spanish translation services were offered and will be standing resources for future PSAC meetings. In addition, PSAC facilitators have been incorporating closed captioning during meetings. There was a follow-up discussion of the Charter & Bylaws. After extensive dialogue between membership and Metro staff, the membership approved the Charter and Bylaws with the following amendment: “Amendments to this Charter & Bylaws may be made by a two-thirds majority vote of the PSAC Membership in consultation with the Metro Administrative Staff (MAS). Any proposed Charter & By-laws amendment must be properly noticed on the agenda of a regularly scheduled PSAC meeting and scheduled for a membership vote at the next regularly scheduled PSAC meeting.” The following agenda item was a presentation on Metro’s Public Safety Model Overview to educate members of Metro’s current safety resources. Due to time constraints, the Infrastructure Protection Services Overview and Ad-Hoc Subcommittee assignment items were moved to the next general PSAC meeting.
On June 14, 2021, we had our first PSAC Infrastructure Protection Services (IPS) Ad-hoc Subcommittee meeting. The key topics discussed included the proposed timeline for the next contract and an overview of the current contract scope of work. During the timeline overview, the sub-committee members expressed that the timeline may be too aggressive and would need more time to present thoughtful recommendations for the next IPS contract. Staff is planning to schedule at least three more ad-hoc meetings with the goal of finalizing recommendations by July 21st. If PSAC needs additional time, we will relay this information to the Board of Directors.
On Wednesday, June 16, 2021, LA Metro had its sixth virtual Public Safety Advisory Committee (PSAC) with over 70 attendees. Routinely, the facilitation team starts the meetings with roll call, meeting reminders, and approval of the last PSAC meeting(s) minutes. PSAC meeting minutes for 5/19/21 & 6/02/21 were approved with no membership modifications. It is worth mentioning that PSAC staff continues to provide sign language interpreters and Spanish-translated material for public viewing. Next, the facilitation team averted membership check-in upon membership request and used the time for public comment. Moreover, Metro staff will now have the opportunity to respond to public comment(s), membership comments, under the Brown Act regulations and if time permits. The facilitating team then introduced the next item of the agenda, a committee member’s proposal to restructure the ad-hoc committees. Membership had the opportunity to discuss briefly, and due to anticipated interest from membership, the proposal was tabled for the next meeting due to the time-limit. The next agenda item was the Law Enforcement Overview PowerPoint, presented by Judy Gerhardt, Metro’s Chief System Security & Law Enforcement. Judy covered a high-level overview on the existing law enforcement contract with Metro; provided a timeline for a new law enforcement solicitation, requested recommendations from PSAC membership, and indicated extensions for police contracts requires going to the Metro Board of Directors. The following item on the agenda was Metro’s Public Safety Model Overview PowerPoint, which was going to be presented by Ron Dickerson, Metro’s Deputy Executive Officer of System Security & Law Enforcement. Due to time constraints, the item was not presented, and the PowerPoint was shared with the members for reference. The final item on the agenda was the Ad-Hoc Subcommittee Reports from membership. Membership provided a short synopsis of their most recent meetings with both the Transit Ambassador & Training and the Infrastructure Protection Services Ad-hoc committees. The facilitators then closed the meeting with General Public comments and adjournment.
EQUITY PLATFORM
SSLE staff is improving equitable outcomes for marginalized and vulnerable groups by convening a diverse group of community members with unique and lived experiences using the Metro system who will provide feedback on how Metro can reimagine public safety to ensure all riders feel safe. In addition, the staff is in the process of launching a public safety survey, a first of its kind, that will serve as another opportunity for the general public to share their perceptions and recommendations for public safety. The survey data will be provided to PSAC members to help shape their recommendations. Lastly, to improve the level of accessibility during the public meetings, we have begun to offer closed captioning, ASL, and Spanish translations. These will be standing resources at all public PSAC meetings.
RECOMMENDED COMPENSATION
Compensating members of the public who serve on advisory committees for their time and expertise helps advance equitable outcomes, uplifts the lived experiences of our historically marginalized and most vulnerable users, and levels the playing field with other advisors (technical or otherwise). As noted in the April 2021 PSAC Quarterly update, staff is developing an Advisory Body Compensation Policy (ABCP), an administrative policy that determines if, when, and how members of the public serving on Metro sanctioned or created advisory bodies are compensated for their labor and the wealth of experience, expertise, and knowledge they bring through their participation.
As also noted in the April 2021 Quarterly report, given the roles and responsibilities of the PSAC, Metro has committed to applying the ABCP to the PSAC retroactively, as of April 7, 2021, which was the date of their first meeting, as a part of the first phase of implementation. To ensure no further delay in PSAC compensation while staff works to finalize the ABCP and determine its applicability to existing advisory bodies, staff recommends the Board approve compensation for the PSAC, at a rate of $200 per general meeting for voting members, $175 per general meeting for alternates, and $50 per meeting for all subcommittee participants, or the cash equivalents, as necessary. There will be total compensation maximums per fiscal year, based on an estimated participation in 24 general meetings and 14 subcommittee meetings per fiscal year, as described below.
|
PSAC Compensation Fee Structure |
|
|
Compensation Rate |
Fee Maximum per Fiscal Year |
|
Member |
$ 200 per meeting |
$ 5,500 |
|
Alternate |
$ 175 per meeting |
$ 4,900 |
|
Subcommittee Participation |
$ 50 per meeting* |
|
*Regular and subcommittee compensation counts toward the maximum listed for each membership type.
SSLE, as the PSAC administrator, will be responsible for budgeting, funding, and ensuring compensation is provided. Staff will return to the board with an update on the final ABCP in September 2021, which will include analysis of existing advisory body compensation structures and application of the policy to all of Metro’s advisory bodies.
Next_Steps
NEXT STEPS
We will continue to provide PSAC updates in the monthly Transit Safety and Security Performance report.
Attachment
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment A - PSAC Board Motions
Attachment B - Compensation Fee Structure
Prepared_by
Prepared by: Imelda Hernandez, Manager, Transportation Planning, System Security and Law Enforcement, (213) 922-4848
Reviewed_by
Reviewed by: Judy Gerhardt, Chief System Security and Law Enforcement Officer, (213) 922-2711
