LOS ANGELES — This morning, Chair of the Metro Board of Directors and Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn April 28 announced the beginning of Phase 2 of Metro’s Weapons Detection Pilot Program, which began today at Metro’s Norwalk Station on the C (Green) Line and San Pedro Street Station on the A (Blue) Line. The Norwalk Station serves as the eastern terminus of the C Line and a major commuter hub for the Gateway Cities region.
“You can’t take a gun or knife into a Dodger Game, a concert, or a government building, and you shouldn’t be able to bring them on Metro,” said Hahn who first urged the pilot and has championed weapons detection. “Let me be clear: weapons do not belong on Metro. There is no room for compromise on that. My goal is simple but firm: a Metro system where all of our riders feel safe, respected, and confident that they will get to their destination without fear.”
The weapons detection pilot program, using pillar-style scanners, will be conducted by Metro security officers at various stations, two stations at a time, for two-month increments, for the next 12 months. Riders will walk between sensors which detect concealed weapons without requiring them to stop and remove any belongings. If flagged by the sensors, riders will be subject to further screenings including a search of their belongings and follow-up questions.
From August through December 2024, Metro conducted the first phase of the weapons detection technology pilot program at Union Station and APU/Citrus College Station in Azusa. In addition to the rider screening process, 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. In February, Hahn along with fellow board members Kathryn Barger, Hilda L. Solis, Karen Bass, Fernando Dutra, and James Butts led the Board in expanding the pilot program for this next phase.
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. At Hahn’s request, the board’s February motion also called for Metro to explore bringing the weapons detection technology pilot to the system’s buses. Metro has identified a vendor to conduct the 12-month pilot program on buses and is working to schedule its launch.