City of Los Angeles, CA
09/25/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 09/25/2024 16:32
Mayor Bass Lays Out Weapons Detection Strategies and Other Safety Deterrence Strategies at Metro Press Conference
LOS ANGELES - Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass today delivered remarks alongside Metro Chair Janice Hahn, Metro CEO Stephanie Wiggins, and LAPD Assistant Chief Blake Chow to provide updates on public safety strategies to keep Metro riders and operators safe. Below are the Mayor's remarks as delivered:
Good afternoon. Let me just start by sharing my condolences with the loved ones of the person who was tragically killed this morning….
I want to say unequivocally that what happened this morning will not be tolerated - it has no place in Los Angeles and the individual who was arrested must be held fully accountable.
Every Angeleno has the right to go about their lives safely, especially on our public transportation systems and I will be working with our Chair Janice Hahn and our CEO Stephanie Wiggins to not only continue efforts taken to make our system safer, but to also explore new steps we can take to meet this goal, especially when it comes to weapon detection and enforcement.
As you heard from our Chairwoman there is a weapon detection system that we are piloting now and will be examining ways if this is successful to expand this.
We've taken urgent action to address safety issues aboard. Several things that we have done in the recent past because of a spike in violent crime: We surged officers to buses and trains and are working to target new law enforcement presence and continue to hire more Transit Security Bus Riding Teams…
We cut red tape to accelerate the installation of more silent alarms and more bus operator barriers and we expect the complete installation of the barriers on all buses by the end of the year….
I have to say that if the barrier was not there, that driver would not have been able to signal that he needed help and also to let the public know through the top of the bus that said '9-1-1 please call' letting anybody that saw to know that the driver and the passengers were in trouble and a number of 911 calls came because people saw that.
I want to commend the bus driver for his courageous and swift response to signal the silent alarm and I want to thank of course our LAPD officers for their work to apprehend the suspect…
Riders and operators alike should know that we are moving with urgency to prioritize the safety of all aboard the system…
Now, while the investigation is still going on, I want to be very clear again - those involved must be held fully accountable to the rule of law.
There is no place for this in L.A. and we will be working to ensure that all Angelenos - riders and operators - are safe.