The Los Angeles Metro’s Department of Public Safety recently launched its Care-Based Services Division, focused on a holistic approach to public safety that prioritizes safety, dignity, and the right response in every situation.

The new division unites the metro’s care-centered public safety programs within the Department of Public Safety, including Metro Ambassadors, Homeless Outreach Management and Engagement (HOME), and Community Intervention Specialists.

According to an agency release, LA Metro’s Care-Based Services Division will work in close coordination with the department’s other divisions that oversee law enforcement, code of conduct enforcement, physical security, and emergency management, resulting in “enhanced coordination and improved response times to ensure all riders and employees feel safe and are safe.”

Leadership Focuses on Mental Health, Crisis Intervention

Craig Joyce, LCSW, a senior executive officer with more than 15 years of social work experience, will lead this new division. He will report directly to William Scott, LA Metro’s chief of police and emergency management.

Joyce joined LA Metro in 2023 and led the agency’s homeless outreach initiative, which has resulted in a 38% year-over-year reduction in homeless individuals seeking shelter on the system, according to the 2025 Metro Point in Time Count.

“Today marks a significant step forward in Metro’s promise to deliver a holistic public safety model that includes mental health support, crisis intervention, outreach to vulnerable populations on our transit system alongside law enforcement,” said Fernando Dutra, LA Metro board chair and City of Whittier council member.

New LA Metro Division Brings Programs Under One Structure

In order to craft a modern safety approach, LA Metro is bringing together current and emerging programs to “ensure all LA Metro riders and employees feel safe throughout the system,” including:

• Metro Ambassadors, which provide a highly visible, uniformed presence across the system with a focus on customer support, wayfinding, and helping riders feel safe. According to LA Metro, ambassadors are especially effective in creating a sense of comfort for riders who may be uneasy interacting with sworn officers, while still serving as an important part of the agency’s overall safety ecosystem.

• HOME and Community Intervention Specialists complement this work by responding to situations involving mental health crises or vulnerable individuals through a multidisciplinary, care-first approach. These teams focus on de-escalation and connection to appropriate services, working closely with sworn officers when needed to ensure situations are handled safely and effectively.

• LA Metro’s emerging Crisis Response Teams will respond to behavioral health-related incidents on the rail and busway system, using clinicians, peer specialists, and, when appropriate, trained DPS officers. Deployed through a zone-based model, Crisis Response Teams emphasize rapid response, stabilization, and connection to supportive resources, helping resolve incidents while reducing reliance on traditional law enforcement and reinforcing system-wide safety.

“This collaborative approach reflects a growing recognition of the importance of integrating mental health expertise into public safety responses and promoting trauma-informed approaches to crisis intervention,” said LA Metro CEO Stephanie Wiggins.

On June 28, 2024, the LA Metro Board of Directors unanimously approved the establishment of an in-house public safety department to ensure increased visibility, accountability, and consistent service delivery.

By the end of 2029, LA Metro’s Public Safety Department will deploy its own hired and specially trained law enforcement officers in the field, alongside ambassadors, homeless outreach staff, and crisis intervention staff, using a zone-based deployment model.

Each zone will have at least one crisis co-response team assigned to respond to calls and to engage proactively on board trains and buses, and at LA Metro transit stations.