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LA Metro releases report tracking 'public safety surge'
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Topline:
L.A. Metro released its latest safety data from April on Thursday that showed a decrease in overall crimes, but a rise in crimes against people. The report comes after a series of violent incidents on or near the transit system over the past couple months.
What the numbers say: Metro’s data from April showed an 18.9% decrease in reported crimes overall, but a 15.6% increase in crimes against people on both buses and rails.
The report also showed 12 operators were assaulted in the same month.
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Metro’s preview for May: In its latest report, Metro also released a snapshot of crimes between May 20- 29 after Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass ordered a surge of law enforcement patrols aboard bus, rail cars, and at stations to crack down on violence.
The agency recorded 97 crimes, with most of those for trespassing, between May 20 and May 29.
Full safety data from May will become available on July 18, according to the transit agency’s calendar.
The backstory: In May, Bass announced that riders should expect a significant increase of law enforcement in the L.A. Metro system. The Metro Board of Directors also approved the mayor’s motion to improve cell service in every transit station.
The board in April also approved an emergency designation to retrofit their bus fleet with shatterproof, tempered glass that would fully enclose drivers, according to Metro spokesperson Patrick Chandler.
The cost to install the barriers is more than $5 million, and the agency aims to have all of its buses retrofitted by the end of the year.
The added safety measures come after a series of violent incidents at or near Metro transit systems, including a stabbing at the Vermont and Athens Metro station in South L.A. last month. In response, Metro buses operators also held a possible sick out weeks later to protest what they described as unsafe conditions for operators.
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"We share the concerns of Metro employees and riders about the recent increase in severity of crime on the Metro system," Metro spokesperson Dave Sotero said in a statement to LAist. "Our employees deserve a safe workplace, and our customers deserve a safe ride, so nothing we are working on is more important than addressing public safety on our Metro system."
What's next: The Metro Board of Directors will meet again on June 27 for their regular board meeting. You can find the stream and agenda here.
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