NewsConference: LA Metro safety concerns

There is a public safety crisis at LA Metro with County Supervisor Kathryn Barger saying she’s afraid to ride the very system she helps govern. NBC4’s Conan Nolan talks with Supervisor Barger about what needs to be done following a fatal attack on a passenger this week.

[@thedrunkweddingphotographer]

Also, crime is down because they don't report it.

[@sonyadrake7843]

🎯💯

[@thunderousapplause]

We need uniformed LEO on trains, the end.

[@securityscorpion8687]

💯

[@khalifbrown9900]

Absolutely, l wholeheartedly agree that the conditions of the LA Metro are beyond deplorable. It’s high time for a serious and aggressive overhaul to ensure the safety and well-being of all passengers l. This level of neglect is intolerable and demands urgent attention and improvement.

[@mrxman581]

Not true. As horrible as the most recent acts of violence have been. They remain the exception and not the rule. Just today I spent the day riding the LA Metro with thousands of other passengers. And the experience was more than fine, pleasant even, for the most part That being said, it's the early morning and very late at night where things can be sketchy. That is where LA Metro needs more security. From around 5-7am and 10pm-12am.

[@figaronussman6649]

LA Metro is an amazing transit system, my cousin works there and on the third shift no less. They see everything being what their occupation is. A change for a more safe and secure system is needed. I think the BOD is ready for that step, to reorganize the Metro Police Dept. A specific transit enforcement catered to Metro. A lot of the current security are former Metro PD and have the skill/training to be reintegrated and train the next gen. of their rank and file.

[@hynos323]

How about start with fare enforcement.

[@brentforrest123]

The board of LA needs to give me back my tax dollars

[@moseschung3220]

4:15 Please don't talk about AI. Add locked gates, enforce the checking of tickets. Do the simple stuff...this isn't complicated.

[@TheManny717]

Kathryn, technically speaking, the original Gold Line was originally known as the Pasadena Metro Blue Line Project prior to the construction. So it comes full circle.

[@figaronussman6649]

Bring back the Metro Police Dept. make them specifically for the transit system

[@mrxman581]

Yes. That will be best. I have a good feeling that LA Metro will, again, have their own in-house security force once again like they had in the 1990s.

[@adanr2389]

Those ambassadors don’t do anything!!!

[@thelovely1]

Those ambassadors are in danger

[@mrxman581]

They are transit ambassadors, not security. They are there to help passengers navigate the Metro. There are armed security guards, too on the platforms.

[@TerpnJohn]

Ambassadors are useless all they help is each other and all they do is txt And chat with each other

[@ericm413]

AND WHAT ABOUT THE BUS OPERATORS!!! All the concerns about the subway but NOTHING for us bus operators

[@mrxman581]

LA Metro just approved retro fitting all buses with bullet proof plexiglass enclosures for the drivers.

[@Droogs]

The very people who govern the system seem powerless to do anything.

[@bombaybeach208]

I have visited over 20 countries and there is NOTHING like this anywhere, mobile homeless/mentally ill housing and people actually being murdered on the trains....you just don't see that anywhere else. In Italy they have soldiers with semi automatics standing around.

[@theotheleo6830]

Why does Italy have soldiers guarding the subways? Is there a lot of crime or terrorism?

[@mrxman581]

Not true. As horrible as the most recent acts of violence have been. They remain the exception and not the rule. Just today I spent the day riding the LA Metro with thousands of other passengers. And the experience was more than fine, pleasant even, for the most part That being said, it's the early morning and very late at night where things can be sketchy. That is where LA Metro needs more security. From around 5-7am and 10pm-12am. The woman that was stabbed by a mentally ill homeless man and killed happened at 5:30am.

[@bombaybeach208]

@@mrxman581 There are way too many "exceptions" lately. No thanks.

[@deborahrobben7721]

Exactly.

[@nutcasejoker]

It’s nice knowing someone from. The broad has peoples back

[@monicarose2135]

It’s shameful for her to be paid to make it safe and she sits there courtesy of our tax dollars & hasn’t made it safe to her satisfaction; unbelievable irony. Stop talking & start acting, do what we paid you to do

[@Liberalcali]

Yep democrats are hypocrites

[@MrProTechHD]

this lady makes over $330,000 a year. more then the president. WHY SHOULD SEE TAKE METRO? with this salary she should be patrolling metro

[@gianniclaud]

There’s no way she makes that much. Stop spreading lies.

[@tishreni5183]

​@@gianniclaudMaybe not,but people in those organizations easily make $150,000 a year.The top CEO of Red Cross makes $250k a year I remember reading about years ago.

[@Eugene-pt5lu]

The President makes $400k.

[@anthonyap9]

all there salaries are public information to look online might not be that much but its still nice chunk of change to do nothing tbh

[@mrxman581]

It's not the turnstiles that are necessarily the big problem, it's all the older stations that have no turnstiles at all. Many older stations on the A and E lines lack turnstiles. They are relics of the original honor system where there were no fare turnstiles on any station including the subway lines. Over time, all the subway stations were retrofitted, but not all the light rail stations. Many homeless know this and use those stations to get into the Metro system. However, when they do begin to retrofit the stations with no fare turnstiles, they should install the more modern plexiglass fare gates like the ones BART will be getting. And only after those are done, go back and replace the old turnstiles. Also, more security guards from 5-7am and 10pm-12am. Things can get more sketchy at those hours when much less people are using it. The woman who was recently stabbed and killed by a mentally ill homeless man, happened at 5:30am.

[@BobNewbie]

Same issues all over the country, it speaks to the level of problems in society. It been spiraling out of control for a long tme.

[@VaderJ818]

Taser…CHECK I have the right to protect myself at all times. I take the redline from 7th and Fig in Downtown after I get off work in the mornings to Sunset and Vermont…so far so good. But..if I’m ever attacked I have the right to defend myself at all times.

[@thedrunkweddingphotographer]

Remember when ya'll said Sheriff Villanueva was fear mongering two years ago when he brought up the rise in Metro crime? Pepperidge Farm remembers.

[@Liberalcali]

Clank Nation remembers

[@TheManny717]

Actually, he was toying me and my colleagues w/ safety from us bus and train operators. So...yes, he was fear mongering.

[@thedrunkweddingphotographer]

@@TheManny717 you sound vaccinated

[@mrxman581]

He's a douche bag. An embarrassment to the Latino community specifically. Worst sheriff chief in LA history. We voted him out for a reason. He only has himself to blame for his ouster.

[@TheManny717]

@@thedrunkweddingphotographer - You actually don’t understand the behind the scenes, so I suggest that you withhold your judgement.

[@freelife4ever77]

Lies lies lies they just want more control

[@LindaMerchant-bq2hp]

These "ambassadors " what good are they doing and too many armed uniformed officers some find upsetting well, are toomany crazed attackings by transients upsetting not"??

[@mrxman581]

I've been riding the LA Metro much more often in the last 6 months and everyone I've talked to likes having the extra security, everyone.

[@TerpnJohn]

Ambassadors are useless Use that money to pay actual security guards or law enforcement

[@liberty484]

Behold Crazy California.

[@linofierro1]

I heard a man was assaulted on the E line Friday night in East LA. The man suffered a laceration to the head. More crime it's out of control

[@mrxman581]

Not true. As horrible as the most recent acts of violence have been. They remain the exception and not the rule. Just today I spent the day riding the LA Metro, including the E line from East LA, with thousands of other passengers. And the experience was more than fine, pleasant even, for the most part That being said, it's the early morning and very late at night where things can be sketchy. That is where LA Metro needs more security. From around 5-7am and 10pm-12am. The woman that was stabbed by a mentally ill homeless man and killed happened at 5:30am.

[@bootscooty]

So so glad i bought a car.

[@capricious6383]

Thank you Conan, you are one of the ones I still respect.

[@frauwolftherehorse]

⚫ 🚌 🚇 LA ⚫ 🚇 NY

[@edtam268]

No choice 🤔 state politicians want people to take public transportation ….so why did you defund the police and not enforce the laws.

[@mrxman581]

LAPD was NEVER defunded. On the contrary, they are hiring 2000 additional officers. The big problem was the larger than normal retirement rate during Covid.

[@mrxman581]

LAPD was NEVER defunded. On the contrary, they are hiring 2000 additional officers. The big problem was the larger than normal retirement rate during Covid.

[@veronicagoper5162]

Is not working our tax money needs to be used properly and have the police back how it was we need the proper police who is train to feel safe

[@podcastfan2544]

Its a roll of the dice riding or walking around any Metro Station or Train maybe safer in the stations in high end area's. Social Credit National ID cards along with your CBDC tokens is what they have waiting in the wings to uhmm "Solve" the Problem (PRS).

[@jeffreyvalentyn6815]

Something that needs to be mentioned is that violence on Metro transit has dropped by 40% in the past year alone. However the violent incidents that occur on metro is still a major issue that needs to be resolved quickly. The best way to achieve this is what the chair of metro mentioned “we need to ensure riders are paying their fares and increase accountability”. By implementing stronger access systems rather than the outdated turnstiles, not only will metro reduce the amount of dangerous people on them it will make the system more profitable allowing for more security expenditures.

[@user-bi5fu6me4r]

That's because they don't report.They make felonies mister minners it's way worse

[@jeffreyvalentyn6815]

@@user-bi5fu6me4r your comment has nothing to do with what I said, it’s incorrect, and you spelled “misdemeanor” wrong so I don’t think you know what you’re talking about

[@mrxman581]

Yes, that will go a long way. And, it's not the turnstiles that are necessarily the big problem, it's all the older stations that have no turnstiles at all. Many older stations on the A and E lines lack turnstiles. They are relics of the original honor system where there were no fare turnstiles on any station including the subway lines. Over time, all the subway stations were retrofitted, but not all the light rail stations. Many homeless know this and use those stations to get into the Metro system. However, when they do begin to retrofit the stations with no fare turnstiles, they should install the more modern plexiglass fare gates like the ones BART will be getting. And only after those are done, go back and replace the old turnstiles. Also, more security guards from 5-7am and 10pm-12am. Things can get more sketchy at those hours when much less people are using it. The woman who was recently stabbed and killed by a mentally ill homeless man, happened at 5:30am.

[@PINKBOIKWEENOFSOUL]

I swear this is not what I thought Los Angeles was going to be like... Along with the unfriendly rude people! 🙄🙄 And all the down low men in a liberal state! 😂

[@odysseusmendez4141]

Most of metro employees and contract security don’t like ambassador you will always see them loitering on the street ,fastfood and coffee shop. This board member doesn’t know what they are talking about. Repeat offender ,using ai for face recognition .What if the individuals don’t have any offense and at that day he just wanted to kill or harm anyone .If those unstable individuals couldn’t use our public transportation system then they could not harm those metro patron . Stop the unstable person from using the public transportation and you will solved the problem . Hired a lot of peace officer and and not a useless pet project of those of your board members . Those board members don’t know what they are talking about because they don’t work on the train flatform or as an officer or a bus operator .Ask those people who work at the field. This is not the first time this thing happened but we all know what is in your mind that all if this incident will die down in a couple of months . All this thing will happen again .Please think of our public safety .

[@mrxman581]

Everyone would like a security guard on every train and platform, but guess what? Who's paying for it? There are 101 stations, hundreds of train cars, and 2300 buses.

[@odysseusmendez4141]

@@mrxman581 already think of that .But if that will be the case then we are on our own if we use a public transport .We are on the mercy of those unstable individuals.And what is the priority of metro the patron safety or money ?

[@openeyes2086]

Where is karen bass and her promises for metro safety and control of the homeless population? Recall karen bass

[@gloriasalazar-md5bh]

You talking about safety and police in each bus ECT 🙄 I mean really 🤔🤔🤔😂😂😂 be smart the real problem. Is the drugs that's making aggressive and violent people lol🙄

[@gofar12345]

All blah blah blah. Nothing will improve 😂😂😂

[@user-hk8nw2pe1o]

We need Jackie Lacey and Jerry Brown back! There wasn't that much problems when they were still around office. Newsome and Gascon are very dangerous to society😡!

[@Jnthncrrll]

OH YOU SHUT UP, TRUMPSTER FREAK AND THAT IS SO NOT FUNNY!!!!!

[@malin7919]

LA Metro? Let's call it Biden Venezuela.