Metro moves to create its own police agency amid violence on public transit

Metro officials on Thursday approved a phased plan to take over policing of its vast network of trains and buses amid a rise in assaults and other crime that has led county leaders to concede the system isn’t safe .

In five years, Metro plans to abandon contracts with three agencies, including the Long Beach Police Department, which have cost over $1 billion since 2017. In 2024 alone, Metro spent $194 million on policing, including $10.1 million that went to LBPD to patrol eight stations within city boundaries.

A consultant hired by Metro said the system could deploy the same number of sworn officers, while also increasing the number of non-sworn safety “ambassadors” and homeless outreach workers who deal with a range of quality-of-life issues from 443 now to 673.

By making better use of officers and ambassadors spread among six zones in the system, along with reducing redundant administrative costs, the system could save about $2 million a year in the service model favored by staff and unanimously approved by members of the Metro board.

Much of the board spoke in favor of the plan, while Janice Hahn, vice chair of Metro and a county supervisor who represents Long Beach, said she was anxious about the move.

“This is a big leap,” she said. “This is a big change for Metro. There’s a lot of, in my opinion, unknowns … related to costs and liabilities.”

The idea has been studied for more than a year amid assaults on operators and passengers — 14 operators were assaulted in April alone, according to Metro data — ballooning costs and inconsistent practices by the three current departments, which also include the Los Angeles Police Department and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

An inspector general’s report in 2022 also found that officers for the three departments were not actually riding the trains and buses on a regular basis.

Proponents of taking over the system also note that policing tactics and policies have not been consistent among the departments. Officers in only one of the departments, for example, carry Narcan, which can reverse opioid overdoses.

Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna, the former police chief in Long Beach, pushed back against the proposal in a few tense exchanges with the board.

“I’m very concerned that the decisions being made are being made without the consultation of the current contracted law enforcement agencies,” he told the board.

LAPD Chief Dominic Choi and LBPD Chief Wally Hebeish also attended and agreed with Luna that the board hasn’t engaged local law enforcement about the safety concerns. “I think that’s unacceptable,” Luna said. “You need to hear from us.”

Police executives said Metro is likely to have the same problems their agencies have had in hiring personnel. And with large events like the 2028 Olympics approaching, “this is not a time to experiment with new projects,” Luna said.

The law enforcement executives said, however, that they would cooperate with the agency on whatever decision the board made.

The Metro board on Thursday approved an extension of contracts with the Sheriff’s departments, LAPD and LBPD for at least three years while the transition takes place.

Ridership on the system has risen to more than 25 million monthly boardings throughout its system, with plans for expansion of that network to southeast Los Angeles and elsewhere.

Melissa Evans and City News Service contributed to this report.

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