Code Compliance Inspector, Ricardo Favela, checks a passenger’s transit fare during a routine inspection onboard an MTS Trolley.
San Diego MTS
2 min to read
Code Compliance Inspector, Ricardo Favela, checks a passenger’s transit fare during a routine inspection onboard an MTS Trolley.
San Diego MTS
The San Diego Metropolitan Transit System launched a new Security Staffing Plan aimed at making the system safer by restructuring the composition of MTS’ security personnel and making changes to their deployment schedule. The plan was fully implemented this month.
“Passenger safety is a top priority for MTS,” said Paul Jablonski, MTS CEO. “The new security staffing plan will add a greater uniform presence on our system. This is another strategic step MTS has taken to boost system-wide security.”
The new plan increases the number of MTS Code Compliance Inspectors (CCI) from 34 to 64 employees. The additional CCIs will enable MTS to implement a beat system, where each beat will consist of three to five trolley stations patrolled by a “train team” made up of a security officer paired with a CCI. This new deployment strategy nearly triples the presence of CCIs at any given time. In a related move, the number of contracted security officers will be reduced to make room for the additional CCIs. MTS has approximately 200 CCIs and contracted security officers patrolling the system.
The train teams will allow MTS to increase uniform presence during the Day Watch, maintain the same uniform presence during the Night Watch, and give the system more access to greater enforcement capabilities. The beat system will allow security teams to patrol the same beat for an extended period of time to improve familiarity, and develop a better sense of the characteristics and customers at a limited number of stations.
This new security strategy builds upon the formation of the Joint Agency Task Force in 2015. This four-person team of police officers from different law enforcement agencies assists in patrolling the MTS system and provides support during special events, while helping bolster officer experience and powers of arrest.
The Plan is CTA's formal response to an FTA Special Directive issued in December and details how the agency will significantly expand the law enforcement surge it launched.
On a recent episode of METROspectives, METRO Magazine’s Executive Editor Alex Roman sat down with Ana-Maria Tomlinson, Director of Strategic & Cross-Sector Programs at the CSA Group, to explore a bold initiative aimed at addressing those challenges: the development of a National Code for Transit and Passenger Rail Systems in Canada.
During a safety blitz, Metra employees will visit one of the railroad’s 243 stations during the morning rush hour, distributing educational materials on train and grade-crossing safety, answering questions, and listening to riders’ safety concerns.
Operated in partnership with Tech Valley Security, trained CDTA Ambassadors will be on select routes and will rotate throughout CDTA’s route network. Their presence is intended to provide customers with an approachable, visible resource focused on assistance and engagement.
Customers have always been able to report concerns through the CATS Customer Service line or the “Report a Problem to CATS” feature in the CATS-Pass mobile app; however, CATS has also integrated a Text-a-Tip line, giving riders multiple, easy-to-use channels to get support.
