Last week, the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority board voted to move ahead with a plan to create a new police force dedicated to patrolling the County’s bus and train system.
According to a study commissioned by the board, the new, in-house transit force could save more than $38 million compared to the current cost of contracting the Los Angeles Police Department, the Long Beach Police Department and the Sheriff’s Department, which came with a $172.9 million price tag for this year alone.
In March, the board approved a decision to continue using police agencies for another year while simultaneously exploring how it could develop its own force. The study, which was undertaken by Justice Research Consultants, found that a new agency was feasible, financially viable and would result in money saved. It would also result in the end of any contractual work undertaken by existing Los Angeles-based law enforcement agencies.
"This approach will not only create a stronger and more efficient safety framework but also allows Metro to reallocate resources in a proactive and cost effective manner that aligns with agency safety priorities," said Gina Osborn, Chief Safety Officer for the Los Angeles Metro, adding, "This will ultimately lead to a safer and more secure transit experience for riders and employees"
Janice Hahn, Metro board member and LA County Supervisor, expressed concern for the move and ultimately abstained from the vote.
"I think I’m the most outspoken critic about public safety on our system and yet every time I would bring up issues or problems or concerns I felt like I got a lot of pushback with [remarks like] ‘we have a multi-layered approach’ or ‘it’s just a perception of crime’ or look at all the people that ride safely and don’t have anything happen to them’ and so on," Hahn said, adding, "I kept getting all this pushback, so it’s very surprising to me that we have gone from ‘everything’s fine’ to what we are now basically voting to implement."
The motion, as outlined by Chair Ara Najarian, was that the board directs the CEO to prepare a comprehensive implementation plan for board consideration to bring public safety in-house and present the plan to the board in January 2024. The implementation plan should reflect Metro’s commitment to building a new culture of public safety centered on a robust, multi layered approach. The motion was forwarded by Tim Sandoval and seconded by Paul Krekorian.
The public’s comments to this (agenda item 21) were plentiful and almost entirely against this plan, with numerous requests for Metro to instead invest in more trains, buses and a shared services model, claiming that extra police won’t actually reduce crime, only an improved mental health care program could do that.
In April, a Metro rider was violently beaten by eight teenagers at the Santa Monica station at 11:15 a.m. Eric Lewis had taken the Expo train from Downtown Los Angeles to his job in Santa Monica every day undisturbed for the past three years when one morning a group of juveniles caused a disturbance preventing the train from leaving the station. They attacked Lewis, hitting him repeatedly over the head with skateboards. He ended up with cuts, bruises, broken ribs and needed 14 stitches in his head. Two Metro bus drivers have been stabbed this year and a woman was attacked last month in Long Beach.
Councilmember Caroline Torosis told the Daily Press, "I’m cautiously optimistic about Metro’s decision to create a new in-house department rather than contracting with law enforcement. Metro’s vote asks for a study to determine whether an in-house department is feasible from an available resources perspective.
"I’m looking forward to reviewing the implementation plan that comes back to the Metro Board in January and I’m open to exploring in-house alternatives. I hope these alternatives will better and more safely serve those who ride the Metro in Santa Monica."
"Over the past few months we have been in close communication with the Director of Safety for LA County Metro along with LASD command staff who oversee the Sheriff’s Department deputies on the transit system," Chief Ramon Batista of the Santa Monica Police Department told the Daily Press.
"We are encouraged by the meaningful steps those organizations have taken to address public safety on the system, including the buses and trains that travel in and around Santa Monica and the train platforms and bus layover points in our city. We believe that creating a dedicated police force for LA County transit would benefit all of us and we support their efforts to get this worthy project off the ground."
This decision also comes only days after the board of Downtown Santa Monica voted to move forward with a private security company patrolling the Third Street Promenade and the City’s extension of private security in parking garages.
