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Metro's CEO Explains What Metro's In-House Police Force Could Look Like
The E lline now connects Santa Monica to East L.A.
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Samanta Helou Hernandez
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LAist
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Topline:
Metro's CEO Stephanie Wiggins gave a vision of how an in-house police force could be deployed: on the most problematic lines and various bus routes.
Why now: Last month Metro's board of directors voted to look into creating an in-house police force to respond to transit incidents. But the agency has been exploring the move for years.
"Public safety is my number one priority and we know the status quo is not working the way we would like it," she said.
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Why it matters: Speaking on LAist's AirTalk, Wiggins says ridership levels are still 23% below pre-pandemic levels. And recent safety concerns have some questioning safety on public transit.
What transportation advocates say: Madeline Brozen who directs UCLA's Lewis Center for Regional Police Studies told LAist last month that the perception of safety hits different when you're reading about it versus when you're really experiencing it.
"If you kind of compare overall crime statistics for the city in terms of property crime or car break-ins with the amount of crime concerns that we see on public transit, public transit is a safer environment by and large," she said.
What's next: While the plan is still in development, Wiggins says the in-house police force would focus on engaging riders and employees, "establishing relationships, having a more visible presence so that they're riding our trains and buses as opposed to being in their vehicles."
Cost savings: Wiggins says the in-house department could save Metro between 20 to 40% of what it spends on law enforcement contracts. For 2023, the agency set aside $173 million in policing contracts.
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