L.A. Metro’s board of directors voted on Thursday to create its own police force due to dissatisfaction with current policing strategies and a rise in violent assaults against passengers and operators.
The plan will roll out in three phases over five years, coinciding with the 2028 Summer Olympics in L.A. Metro aims to maintain 386 armed law enforcement officers daily while increasing unarmed safety officers to 673. This move is expected to save Metro $26 million annually currently paid to LAPD and L.A. County Sheriff’s Department for patrols, funds which will now be used to hire transit ambassadors, crisis interventionists, and outreach workers.
Recent months have seen a spike in violent crimes on Metro, despite an overall 18.9% decrease in system-wide crimes in April. Crimes against people rose by 16% from March to April, with January recording the highest number of crimes this year. Meanwhile, monthly ridership increased by 10% in April compared to the same period last year.
The board has criticized the current safety model for lacking oversight, consistent communication, and enforcement. Mayor Karen Bass, Metro’s board chair, ordered increased law enforcement presence in May in response to the violence, highlighting concerns over authority within Metro’s leadership.
While the board’s vote was unanimous, some members like L.A. County Supervisor Janice Hahn and L.A. City Council President Paul Krekorian expressed reservations about the transition, though they ultimately supported it.
Public opinion on the plan varied during Thursday’s meeting. Metro’s Public Safety Advisory Committee gathered rider feedback last fall, emphasizing the desire for more visible safety officers. The plan was supported by Julio Mejia of the SMART-TD Union, representing bus operators, who stressed the need for a dedicated public safety team.
However, Brenda Jackson from Community Power Collective opposed the plan, arguing it prioritizes policing over support services like housing and mental health outreach.
This isn’t the first time L.A.’s transit system has had its own police force; it previously operated from 1978 to 1997 under the Southern California Rapid Transit District (SCRTD), which merged with Metro in 1993. The SCRTD police force, managing 2,600 buses and 220 bus lines with just 500 officers, was phased out as policing duties were shared with local departments.