The Metro Board of Directors gave the green light to an initiative spearheaded by Metro Chair Janice Hahn to scale up a weapons detection pilot program, deploying enhanced screening systems across more Metro stations, according to a recent press release. "You can’t bring a weapon to a concert or a Dodger game, and you shouldn’t be able to bring a weapon on Metro,” Janice Hahn stated, emphasizing the system's success in preventing guns and knives from entering Metro premises and elevating rider safety.
Commencing last August and running through December 2024, Metro implemented screening technology in Union Station and APU/Citrus College Station where riders passed between sensors that detected concealed weapons without a halt or removal of personal effects, the technology is showing promise not just in detection but also in deterring people from bringing arms, as per the County of Los Angeles. Deputy Chief Robert Gummer observed that some potential commuters left the station upon realizing that screenings were in progress or after being notified, indicative of the technology's deterrent effect.
During tests, Metro's report boasted a 100% detection rate of service weapons, which were recognized by the newly tested systems while not recording any false positives relating to civilian passengers. Deputy Chief Gummer noted, "Individuals leave the station when they saw or were told that weapons screenings happening," as stated by the County of Los Angeles.
This weapons detection initiative received mainly positive feedback from the public, with many expressing that the added security layer made them feel safer, the level of acceptance Metro's push for safety receives parlays well into Hahn's vision of widespread deployment. These systems ensure swift primary screenings, clocking in at under two seconds, and if a secondary check is necessitated, it's done within 15 seconds, as detailed by the County of Los Angeles.
Supported by a unified front comprising Supervisor Kathryn Barger, Supervisor Hilda Solis, Mayor Karen Bass, Councilmember Fernando Dutra and Mayor James Butts, Hahn's motion not only extends the pilot for 12 months at high-traffic stations but also enjoins on Metro to test these weapons detection systems on buses.
