LOS ANGELES — The Metro Board of Directors Feb. 27 approved a proposal by Metro Chair Janice Hahn to expand a weapons detection pilot program and deploy concealed weapon passenger screening systems in more Metro stations.
From August through December 2024, at Hahn’s request, Metro piloted weapons detection technology at Union Station and APU/Citrus College Station. Passenger screening systems were tested at both stations in which riders walk between sensors which detect concealed weapons without requiring them to stop and remove any belongings. Metro also tested video analytics systems at Union Station which scan CCTV video feeds in real time to identify threats, including someone brandishing a weapon, and sends alerts to law enforcement.
A report by Metro shows that the passenger screening system technology proved to be effective. While no weapons threats were identified on passengers, the systems detected officers’ service weapons with 100% accuracy.
During the presentation to the board, Deputy Chief of System Security & Law Enforcement Robert Gummer said that officers saw individuals leave the station when they saw or were told that weapons screenings were happening, indicating the technology may be an effective deterrent. Primary screening of passengers took less than two seconds, while secondary screenings of passenger’s belongings if flagged took less than 15 seconds.
The public’s reception of the screenings was positive with multiple passengers telling staff it made them feel safer.
Hahn’s motion, which was coauthored by Supervisor Kathryn Barger, Supervisor Hilda Solis, Mayor Karen Bass, Whittier Councilmember Fernando Dutra, and Inglewood Mayor James Butts, extends and expands the deployment of the weapons detection system pilot for 12 months to additional high-traffic transit stations. It also directs Metro to conduct a 12-month pilot of weapons detection technology on buses and provide quarterly reports on upgrading Metro’s CCTV system to include the integration of the brandished firearm detection analytics.