L.A. Metro recruiting law enforcement officers to build safety department
The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (L.A. Metro) received 950 applications for new law enforcement officers in the first 24 hours they were open. The recruitment of new officers is part of the agency’s next phase of building its department of public safety. The agency notes the new law enforcement officers will play a critical role in shaping the department’s culture, policies and community-focused approach from the ground up.
To support the recruitment effort, the agency launched a dedicated website where prospective candidates can learn more about the department’s mission, hiring process, training model and community-centered policing philosophy. The site includes application materials, minimum qualifications and details about the pay and benefit package being offered.
“We are excited to mark this important milestone as we begin this critical next phase of building out [L.A.] Metro’s own Department of Public Safety (DPS),” said L.A. Metro CEO Stephanie Wiggins. “We have built a strong foundation that reflects our deep commitment to accountability, training and community-centered policing to lead our training program. [L.A.] Metro is leading the nation in creating a new approach to public safety for transit as it builds its DPS from the ground up.”
L.A. Metro says the DPS is led by seasoned law enforcement professionals with experience at the local and federal levels and operates as part of L.A. Metro’s broader care-based public safety approach. Unlike traditional models that rely primarily on law enforcement, L.A. Metro integrates ambassadors, homeless outreach teams and crisis and community intervention teams to assist customers and respond to quality-of-life issues. By matching each situation with the most appropriate responder, L.A. Metro says it is creating a more holistic public safety model that promotes safety, dignity and support for riders while enabling law enforcement officers to focus on criminal activity and urgent safety concerns.
The agency notes it has made significant progress in improving safety across its bus and rail system. Violent crime declined for the second consecutive year in 2025, reaching its lowest level since 2021 while customer satisfaction with safety measures reached record highs. The trend continued in March 2026, the most recent month for which crime data is available, with a 13.6% decrease in overall crime compared to March 2025.
In addition to their law enforcement training, L.A. Metro notes all officers will receive specialized training tailored to the transit environment, including awareness issues that are unique to transit, trauma-informed response, de-escalation and customer service.
“This is a rare opportunity in law enforcement,” said L.A. Metro Chief of Police and Emergency Management William Scott. “Joining this department means more than taking a job, it means helping to build a culture that protects the community from day one. We are looking for individuals who are committed to service, who value relationships and who want a voice in creating the kind of department they’ve always wanted to join.”
On June 28, 2024, the L.A. Metro Board of Directors approved the establishment of an in-house public safety department to ensure increased visibility, accountability and consistent service delivery. By the end of 2029, the DPS will complete the deployment of its own hired and specially trained law enforcement officers in the field, alongside ambassadors, homeless outreach and crisis response teams utilizing a zone-based deployment model. Each zone will have at least one crisis co-response team assigned to respond to calls and do proactive engagement on board trains, buses and transit stations.