![]() It’s worth considering because the current situation hasn’t served riders well. ![]() In perhaps the biggest change, Metro will consider creating its own transit police department to replace or reduce its reliance on the sheriff, LAPD and Long Beach Police Department within three years. That said, Metro does need law enforcement to help prevent and respond to violence, and to back up ambassadors and other Metro employees in dangerous situations. What should be a simple, basic amenity of bus service – a bench to sit on and some shade while waiting – is still a rarity in most areas of the region. Opinion Editorial: Los Angeles County bus riders get no shelter from the storm It’s not fair that riders have to fear for their person and property just to go about their daily lives. The security issues, crime and disorder on the system have the biggest impact on the people who rely on public transit to get to schools and jobs, primarily low-income people of color. It’s a sign of Metro leaders’ desperation and only makes public transit even more hostile to riders. And in surveys, customers consistently name safety as a top concern and a major reason they ride less or have stopped riding Metro altogether.Įarlier this year, in an attempt to restore a sense of order and safety at the Westlake/MacArthur Park stop, Metro began blasting classical music over the public address system to discourage drug users and unhoused people from hanging out in the station. An average of 13 bus operators are assaulted on the job every month. ![]() ![]() Drug use is prevalent, particularly on the subways 22 people have died on the system since January, mostly from suspected overdoses, which is more than the total number of deaths on the system last year. The agency boosted funding and hired the Los Angeles and Long Beach police departments to patrol the region’s bus and subway system, along with the Sheriff’s Department. In 2017, with ridership declining and passengers complaining about the lack of security, the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority decided to significantly increase policing.
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