Metro - File #: 2022-0648

• File #: 2022-0648
• Type: Plan
• Status: Passed
• File created: 9/12/2022
• In control: Board of Directors - Regular Board Meeting
• On agenda: 3/23/2023
• Final action: 3/23/2023
• Title: AUTHORIZE the Chief Executive Officer to amend the FY23 Budget to add 48 Metro Transit Security full-time equivalent (FTE) positions to include 44 Transit Security Officers, three Supervisors, and one Director, Transit Security (Captain).
• Sponsors: Board of Directors - Regular Board Meeting
• Indexes: Budget, Budgeting, Customer Code of Conduct, Law enforcement, Metro Divisions, Plan, Public Safety Advisory Committee, Safety, Safety and security, Security, Surveys, System safety, Threats

Date	Action By	Action	Result
3/23/2023	Board of Directors - Regular Board Meeting
3/16/2023	Operations, Safety, and Customer Experience Committee

Meeting_Body

OPERATIONS, SAFETY, AND CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE COMMITTEE
MARCH 16, 2023

Subject
SUBJECT: METRO TRANSIT SECURITY

Action
ACTION: APPROVE RECOMMENDATION

Heading
RECOMMENDATION:

Title
AUTHORIZE the Chief Executive Officer to amend the FY23 Budget to add 48 Metro Transit Security full-time equivalent (FTE) positions to include 44 Transit Security Officers, three Supervisors, and one Director, Transit Security (Captain).
Issue
ISSUE

Metro's multi-layer reimagined public safety plan includes a significant priority to protect our employees, including bus operators, from experiencing violence while they are on our system. Metro's Employee Assault Mitigation Task Force has recommended implementing additional Safety Bus Riding teams as a means to reduce and prevent operator assaults. This report requests authorization to amend the FY23 budget to add 44 Metro Transit Security Officers (TSO), three Supervisors, and one Captain to be deployed as safety bus riding teams for this purpose.


Background
BACKGROUND

All forms of public transportation, airplanes, trains, and buses have seen a concerning increase in passengers who are unruly, angry, and sometimes violent. Public transit agencies across the nation have all seen a disturbing increase in operator assaults. The cause and contributors to operator assaults vary widely; studies have identified broader societal trends to these random acts of violence, such as mental health issues, economic and social factors, and pandemic impact.

The following chart illustrates the top reasons for assault for calendar year 2022.



Implemented Strategies to Prevent Operator Assaults
Metro has been proactive in our efforts in the research of best practices and analysis of data to implement safety strategies to protect our employees. Metro has been implementing prevention strategies to reduce the risk of safety incidents and create a safer environment for all Metro employees to safely perform their jobs....