Congress has cut federal funding for public media — a $3.4 million loss for LAist. We count on readers like you to protect our nonprofit newsroom. Become a monthly member and sustain local journalism.
Sheriff Villanueva Will Continue Patrols On County Transit, But LA Metro Has A Plan If He Backs Out
(
Courtesy L.A. Metro
)
The leadership of Los Angeles County’s public transit system approved a contingency plan Thursday in case Sheriff Alex Villanueva follows through on his threat to pull deputies from bus and rail lines.
Villanueva had taken issue last month with L.A. Metro’s current policing contract, which the sheriff’s department shares with the Los Angeles and Long Beach police departments.
LAPD and LBPD officers patrol the system within their respective city limits, and LASD deputies patrol everywhere else. But Villanueva wants sole jurisdiction over the system and vowed to stop policing his share of the system at the end of June if he didn't get it. That’s when the initial five-year law enforcement contract expires, though Metro voted to extend the contract an additional year.
It appears the sheriff will now honor the agreement after signing a one-year contract extension earlier this month, but Metro’s board voted to grant agency CEO Stephanie Wiggins authority to enact a two-phase plan if that changes.
Support for LAist comes from
This first phase would give the Los Angeles Police Department patrol power at stations, platforms and all other areas currently patrolled by the Sheriff’s Department. LAPD would need the L.A. City Council’s approval first.
In Phase 2, Metro would look to contract with individual city police departments in the county to patrol the areas LASD gave up.
Under the new one-year contract extension, Metro would pay the Sheriff’s Department $71.5 million next fiscal year (which begins in July) to continue its patrols. If the sheriff pulls out of the agreement, that money will go to the LAPD and any other local departments that take over patrols in LASD’s current territory.
Some community advocates feel less law enforcement on public transit is a good thing. They’ve been calling on Metro to replace armed police and deputies with community-based approaches to interacting with people on the system who are struggling with homelessness, substance abuse and mental health issues.
The agency is currently studying how to put that model in place. It also finalized an agreement this week with the county’s Department of Mental Health for trained mental health professionals to respond to incidents on Metro’s system.
“Anyone who has taken Metro knows there is a mental health crisis on our transit system,” board member and County Supervisor Janice Hahn said in a statement. “With this new agreement, our Department of Mental Health will place teams of trained mental health professionals on our buses and trains so that they can respond to people in crisis, de-escalate potentially dangerous situations, and connect people with the long-term treatment and support they need.”
Support for LAist comes from
Villanueva has been critical of alternative plans, arguing more policing is needed to address rising crime on the county’s transit network.
“We need Deputies on trains/busses, not ambassadors—arrests/citations, not a Metro Court,” Villanueva said via Twitter last month.
Earlier this week, the sheriff announced plans for a “surge” in deputy patrols on Metro’s system through a new initiative he’s calling Operation Safe Travel. That would include what Villanueva called “targeted operations along the entire system.”
In Thursday’s meeting, board member and L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti asked how the sheriff’s announced surge might affect the L.A. and Long Beach police department.
“When there's not clear jurisdictions, it gets messy,” he said.
Gina Osborn, chief safety officer for Metro, told the board Thursday that her office so far has “no details whatsoever on this plan.”
As Editor-in-Chief of our newsroom, I’m extremely proud of the work our top-notch journalists are doing here at LAist. We’re doing more hard-hitting watchdog journalism than ever before — powerful reporting on the economy, elections, climate and the homelessness crisis that is making a difference in your lives. At the same time, it’s never been more difficult to maintain a paywall-free, independent news source that informs, inspires, and engages everyone.
Simply put, we cannot do this essential work without your help. Federal funding for public media has been clawed back by Congress and that means LAist has lost $3.4 million in federal funding over the next two years. So we’re asking for your help. LAist has been there for you and we’re asking you to be here for us.
We rely on donations from readers like you to stay independent, which keeps our nonprofit newsroom strong and accountable to you.
No matter where you stand on the political spectrum, press freedom is at the core of keeping our nation free and fair. And as the landscape of free press changes, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust, but the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news from our community.
Please take action today to support your trusted source for local news with a donation that makes sense for your budget.
Thank you for your generous support and believing in independent news.
Chip in now to fund your local journalism
(
LAist
)
Trending on LAist
-
The L.A. City Council approved the venue change Wednesday, which organizers say will save $12 million in infrastructure costs. -
Taxes on the sale of some newer apartment buildings would be lowered under a plan by Sacramento lawmakers to partially rein in city Measure ULA.
-
The union representing the restaurant's workers announced Tuesday that The Pantry will welcome back patrons Thursday after suddenly shutting down six months ago.
-
If approved, the more than 62-acre project would include 50 housing lots and a marina less than a mile from Jackie and Shadow's famous nest overlooking the lake.
-
The U.S. Supreme Court lifted limits on immigration sweeps in Southern California, overturning a lower court ruling that prohibited agents from stopping people based on their appearance.
-
Censorship has long been controversial. But lately, the issue of who does and doesn’t have the right to restrict kids’ access to books has been heating up across the country in the so-called culture wars.
Best of LAist