2010

TRIENNIAL ON-SITE

SECURITY REVIEW OF

LOS ANGELES COUNTY METROPOLITAN TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY (LACMTA)

RAIL TRANSIT SAFETY SECTION

RAIL TRANSIT AND CROSSINGS BRANCH

CONSUMER PROTECTION AND SAFETY DIVISION

CALIFORNIA PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION

505 VAN NESS AVENUE

SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94102



September 27, 2010

(PUBLIC)

Richard W. Clark, Director

Consumer Protection and Safety Division

2010 TRIENNIAL ON-SITE SECURITY REVIEW OF

LOS ANGELES COUNTY METROPOLITAN TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY (LACMTA)

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The California Public Utilities Commission's Rail Transit Safety Section staff, with the assistance of the Commission's Railroad Operations Safety Branch and Utilities Safety Branch staff, conducted this system security programs review. Staff members directly responsible for conducting security review and inspection activities include:

Stephen Artus, Program and Project Supervisor

Anton Garabetian, Senior Utilities Engineer

Claudia Lam, Utilities Engineer/LACMTA Rep

Howard Huie, Utilities Engineer/LACMTA Rep

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page

1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1

2. INTRODUCTION 2

3. BACKGROUND 3

LACMTA Rail System Description 3

LACMTA Security History and Description 4

4. REVIEW PROCEDURE 6

5. FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 7

APPENDICES

A. Abbreviations and Acronyms 10

B. LACMTA 2010 Triennial Security Review Checklist Index 12

C. LACMTA 2010 Triennial Security Review Recommendations List 13

D. LACMTA 2010 Triennial Security Review Checklists 14

1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The California Public Utilities Commission's (Commission) Consumer Protection and Safety Division (CPSD), Rail Transit Safety Section staff (staff) conducted an on-site security review of Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority's (LACMTA) system security program in September 2010.

The on-site review was preceded by an opening conference with LACMTA personnel on September 13, 2010. Staff conducted the 2010 LACMTA on-site security review on September 27, 2010. The review focused on verifying the effective implementation of the System Security Program Plan (SSP).

Staff held a post-review conference with LACMTA personnel on October 13, 2010. Staff provided LACMTA personnel with a synopsis of the preliminary review findings and preliminary recommendations for corrective actions.

The review results indicate that LACMTA has a comprehensive System Security Program Plan (SSP) and has effectively carried out that plan. However, staff noted non-compliances during the review which are described in the Findings and Recommendations section of each checklist. Staff made 2 recommendations for corrective action from the 8 checklists.

The Introduction and Background Sections of this report are presented in Section 2 and 3 respectively. The Background Section contains a description of LACMTA rail system and the history of the Security Department. Section 4 describes the review procedure, and Section 5 provides the review findings and recommendations. The 2010 LACMTA Triennial Security Review Abbreviation & Acronyms List is found in Appendix A, Checklist Index in Appendix B, Recommendations List in Appendix C, and review Checklists in Appendix D.

2. INTRODUCTION

The Commission's General Order (GO) 164-D, Rules and Regulations Governing State Safety Oversight of Rail Fixed Guideway Systems, and the Federal Transit Administration's (FTA) Rule, Title 49 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 659, Rail Fixed Guideway Systems: State Safety Oversight, require the designated State Safety Oversight Agencies to perform a review of each rail transit agency's system security program at a minimum of once every three years. The purpose of the triennial review is to verify compliance and evaluate the effectiveness of each rail transit agency's System Security Program Plan (SSP) and to assess the level of compliance with GO 164-D as well as other Commission and regulatory security requirements. The previous on-site security review of LACMTA was conducted by staff in June 2007 by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA).

On August 11, 2010, staff mailed a letter to LACMTA Chief Executive Officer (CEO), advising that the Commission's security review had been scheduled for September 2010. The letter included 8 security checklists that served as the basis for the review. The 8 security checklists focused on the 5 elements defined by 49 CFR 659.23, and the verification and the effective implementation of LACMTA's SSP.

Staff conducted the on-site security records review during September 27, 2010. At the conclusion of each review activity, staff provided LACMTA personnel a verbal summary of the preliminary findings and discussed preliminary recommendations for corrective actions.

On October 13, 2010, staff conducted a post-review exit meeting with LACMTA management and personnel. Staff provided the attendees a synopsis of the non-compliant findings from the 8 checklists and discussed the need for corrective actions where applicable.

3. BACKGROUND

LACMTA is the transportation agency of Los Angeles County. LACMTA is governed by a 13-member Board of Directors comprised of: five Los Angeles County Supervisors, the Mayor of Los Angeles, three Los Angeles mayor-appointed members, four city council members representing the other 87 cities in Los Angeles County, and one non-voting member appointed by the Governor of California.

LACMTA Rail System Description

LACMTA rail system consists of the Metro Blue, Red, Green, and Gold lines. The Metro Gold Line Eastside Extension was opened on November 2009. The Mid-city Exposition Light Rail Line Phase One is under construction. LACMTA operates over 80 miles with 73 stations. The average ridership of the system is approximately 250,000 per day in 2009 (Fiscal year).

Metro Blue Line

The Metro Blue Line (MBL) is a light rail line that runs between downtown Los Angeles and downtown Long Beach and serves 22 stations over a 22-mile route. The Metro Blue Line connects to the Metro Green Line at Rosa Parks/Imperial station in Compton and connects to the Metro Red Line at 7^th/Metro Station in downtown Los Angeles. Currently, LACMTA operates two-car and three-car trains on the line depending on the time of the day.

Metro Red Line¹

The Metro Red Line (MRL), a heavy rail subway, runs between Los Angeles Union Station and North Hollywood with 16 stations over its 17.4-mile route. The Metro Red Line connects to the Metro Blue Line at 7^th/Metro Station in downtown Los Angeles and connects to the Amtrak and Metrolink commuter rail, as well as the Gold Line, at Union Station. LACMTA operates four-car and six-car trains on the line, depending on the time of the day.

Metro Green Line

The Metro Green Line (MGL) is a light rail line that runs east-west along the median of Glenn Anderson (a.k.a. Century) Freeway (I-105) through Los Angeles County between City of Norwalk and City of Redondo Beach. It has 14 stations over its 20-mile route. It connects to the Metro Blue Line at Imperial/Wilmington (Rosa Parks) Station in Compton. LACMTA operates two-car configuration on the line with the exception of one-car trains used during the evenings and weekend mornings.

Metro Gold Line (a.k.a. Pasadena Gold Line)

The Metro Gold Line is a light rail line that runs from Los Angeles Union Station to Pasadena Sierra Madre Villa Station. The Metro Gold Line revenue operation service started in July 2003. It has 13 stations over 14-mile route. It connects to the Metro Red Line at Union Station. LACMTA operates two-car trains on the line with the exception of one-car trains used during the evenings and weekend mornings.

Metro Gold Line Eastside Extension Project

The Metro Gold Line East Side Extension project opened on November 2009. It is a six-mile, dual track light rail system with eight new stations along the newly opened extension and one station modification at Union Station. The system originates at Union Station in downtown Los Angeles, where it connects with Metro Gold Line and Metro Red Line, traveling east through East Los Angeles to Pomona and Atlantic Boulevards.

LACMTA Security History and Description

On April 1, 1993, the merger of the Los Angeles County Transportation Commission (LACTC) and the Southern California Rapid Transit District (SCRTD) was completed to form the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LACMTA). During the time of the merger, SCRTD had an established transit police force of 425 sworn police officers. Along with a large civilian support staff, SCRTD's Transit Police force was the tenth largest police force in the state of California. Within the next four years, LACMTA Board of Directors would formulate and contemplate the idea of contracting police services to the Los Angeles County Sheriff Department (LASD) and Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD).

Sometime after the merger, LACMTA contracted the police services for the Blue Line to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. The primary duties of the LACMTA's Transit Police were providing police services to LACMTA's facilities and bus lines. The LACMTA Board of Directors (Board of Directors) eventually reversed its decision and discontinued its contract with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. With the Red Line subway in revenue service, LACMTA once again tasked the transit police with the responsibility of police services for both the Blue and Red Lines along with their previously appointed duties.

However, the decision by the Board of Directors would not be a permanent as a few years later the board revisited the idea of contract police services. The Transit Police Officers Association approached the Board of Directors requesting their membership be divided into a 60/40% split and merged into the LAPD and LASD, respectively. On November 2, 1997, 40% of the LACMTA Transit Police completed its merger into Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. On November 23, 1997, the remaining 60% of the LACMTA Transit Police completed its merger into the Los Angeles Police Department. The LACMTA Transit Police Department retired its colors in the same month ending its reign.

During the first five years of the new contract, LASD and LAPD policed the bus and rail lines. In 2002, the Board of Directors extended the contract through 2002. In March 2003, the Board of Directors decided to contract all police services to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. From 2003 to 2007, the LASD Transit Services Bureau (TSB), with 350 sworn Sheriff's Deputies and 50 Sheriff's Department Security Assistants, fell under the command of LACMTA's internal Transit Security Department (Transit Security).

In March 2007, Transit Security and the LASD TSB became independent of each other. Transit Security now reported to a new internal LACMTA position, Deputy Executive Officer, System Safety and Security. In 2009, LACMTA's position of Deputy Executive Officer, System Safety and Security was eliminated and Transit Security fell under the command of the LASD TSB. The primary function of the LASD TSB is to handle all transit security, security management, and police services. And Transit Security's primary function is to ensure facilities protection, board meeting security, rail sweep team, K-9 Operations, training, planning and policy development, and security of the Headquarters Building at One Gateway Plaza.

4. REVIEW PROCEDURE

Staff conducted the security review in accordance with the Rail Transit Safety Section Procedure RTSS-4, Procedure for Performing Triennial Safety and Security Reviews of Rail Transit Agency.

Staff developed eight (8) checklists to cover various aspects of system security responsibilities, based on Commission and FTA requirements, American Public Transportation Association system security program guidelines, LACMTA SSP, security related LACMTA documents, and the staff's knowledge of the transit system. The 8 checklists are included in Appendix D.

Each checklist identifies security-related elements and characteristics that staff reviewed or inspected. Each of the checklists also references Commission, LACMTA, and other documents that establish the security program requirements. The completed checklists include review findings, and recommendations if the review findings indicate non-compliances. The completed checklists may include comments and suggestions to improve LACMTA's system security program. The methods used to perform the review include:

· Discussions with LACMTA security and LASD management

· Reviews of procedures and records

The review checklists concentrated on requirements that affect the security of rail operations and are known or believed to be important in reducing security hazards and preventing crime.

5. FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

(CONFIDENTIAL)

(CONFIDENTIAL)

APPENDICES

APPENDIX A

Abbreviations and Acronyms

APPENDIX B

2010 LACMTA TRIENNIAL SECURITY REVIEW CHECKLIST INDEX

(CONFIDENTIAL)

APPENDIX C

2010 LACMTA TRIENNIAL SECURITY REVIEW RECOMMENDATIONS LIST

(CONFIDENTIAL)

APPENDIX D

2010 LACMTA TRIENNIAL SECURITY REVIEW CHECKLISTS

(CONFIDENTIAL)

(CONFIDENTIAL)

(CONFIDENTIAL)

(CONFIDENTIAL)

(CONFIDENTIAL)

(CONFIDENTIAL)

(CONFIDENTIAL)

(CONFIDENTIAL)

(CONFIDENTIAL)

¹ In August 2006, LACMTA Board decided to name Metro Red Line branch running from Union Station to Wilshire/Western Station in Koreatown the Metro Purple Line. This branch line was originally envisioned to extend to City of Santa Monica through west Los Angeles and Beverly Hills. LACMTA is currently in Draft Environmental Impact Study of the extension project. Until further decision is made, LACMTA will combine the Metro Purple Line's statistics (i.e. ridership, train miles, accident reporting, etc.) with the Metro Red Line.