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Monday October 19, 2020
The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) is establishing a Transit Public Safety Advisory Committee (PSAC) to re-envision transit safety and explore community-based approaches to policing.
To establish the PSAC, Metro is launching an external recruitment for members of the committee beginning October 19 with applications accepted through November 13, 2020. Applications are strongly encouraged from riders, transit advocates and community-based organizations.
“It is prudent for Metro to begin reevaluating its safety strategies to ensure it is meeting the needs and expectation of our riders,” said Metro CEO Phillip A. Washington. “We look forward to working with the community and our riders to re-envision our approaches to transit policing.”
In selecting members for the PSAC, Metro wants to ensure that they represent diverse perspectives, including racial, cultural, gender, sexual orientation, income, geography, immigration status, housing status and persons with disabilities.
Metro is seeking to establish a 15-members committee with three alternates. The search criteria will include individuals who regularly ride Metro’s system, have knowledge of transit and expertise as advocates for racial justice, equitable transportation, and/or public safety reform, law enforcement experts, mental health providers or experts, and/or social service providers or experts. Membership appointments will run through June 2022. Application for membership will be available online at metroexempldev.wpengine.com/psac.
Following protests across the United States earlier this year against police brutality, the Metro Board of Directors sought recommendations from Metro’s System Security and Law Enforcement Department on ways to reform the agency’s policing practices as well as reallocating resources from policing to homeless engagement and outreach and other forms of community safety.
Metro is now in the process of reevaluating its safety strategies to ensure it is meeting the needs and expectations of transit riders. This is taking place as the agency considers the renewal of its multiagency law enforcement police contract in 2022. The establishment of the PSAC will give Metro the opportunity to consult with key law enforcement experts and community members as Metro works toward ensuring a more accountable culture of policing.
About Metro
The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) is currently providing lifeline service for essential trips and frontline workers. Metro continues building the most ambitious transportation infrastructure program in the United States and is working to greatly improve mobility through its Vision 2028 Plan.
Metro has proudly pledged to the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) Health and Safety Commitment Program to help ensure the safe return of transit riders as the U.S. recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Stay informed by following Metro on The Source and El Pasajero at metro.net, facebook.com/losangelesmetro, twitter.com/metrolosangeles and twitter.com/metroLAalerts and instagram.com/metrolosangeles.
