LA Metro announces head of new police force
Bill Scott named new chief of LA Metro police
Los Angeles Metro has named Bill Scott the chief of its new internal police force. Scott resigned as the Chief of the San Francisco Police Department earlier in the day.
LOS ANGELES - Los Angeles named former San Francisco police Chief William "Bill" Scott as the leader of Metro's new public safety department.
What we know:
Scott, who spent 27 years with the Los Angeles Police Department before taking over in San Francisco, will return "to the city where he built his career to lead one of the most significant public safety transitions in LA Metro's history," according to a statement from the agency.
Scott, who resigned from his San Francisco post on Wednesday, was hired by Metro following a selection process that included input from Metro's Board of Directors, transit system employees and community stakeholders.
Scott will officially start in one month.
This move comes as the transportation agency has struggled with safety concerns following a spate of high-profile violent crimes.
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"This moment demands a leader like Chief Scott, who brings vision and integrity to this important role," Metro Board Chair and county Supervisor Janice Hahn said in a statement. "He understands that real public safety is about more than enforcement, it's about trust, transparency and working with the community to make every rider feel safe."
LA Metro names Bill Scott as first in-house police chief
Returning to LA, former San Francisco Police Chief Bill Scott has been named as Metro's chief of police.
The backstory:
Scott was named chief of police for San Francisco in 2017. Metro officials said he is widely recognized for driving public safety improvements, while advancing policing initiatives recommended by the U.S. Department of Justice. Under his leadership, the San Francisco Police Department reduced use- of-force incidents, prioritized de-escalation training and improved the violent crime clearance rate to reach levels above national averages, according to Metro.
He promoted the use of license plate-reading cameras and drones to address organized retail and property crime. He also oversaw safety and security on San Francisco's Muni system, which saw a drop in crime across the transit system, falling to 2.3 crimes per 100,000 miles of travel as of March.
"This is an incredible opportunity at this point in my career," Scott said in a statement. "How many people can say they have built a public safety operation from the very beginning? I'm honored to be back in L.A., but even more honored to have this chance to lead this next chapter for LA Metro."
"Together, we have an opportunity to create something that reflects the values of this region, supports our frontline teams and earns the trust of the public we serve," he added.
Scott spent years with the LAPD, having served as Deputy Chief of the South Bureau.
What they're saying:
Metro CEO Stephanie Wiggins described the appointment as a "defining moment" for the agency.
"We heard the community's call for a leader who is calm under pressure, emotionally intelligent and politically astute," Wiggins said in a statement. "Someone who can balance enforcement with empathy and collaboration."
Metro has experienced a series of highly publicized violent crimes. In a bid to address such crimes, officials expanded the agency's unarmed Ambassador program, deployed more security officers, and installed protective barriers on all of its buses. The agency rolled initiatives to address fare evaders, with taller fare gates at all new rail stations and some existing ones, and piloting weapons detection systems.
But many local officials have called for a more visible police presence on the transit system to deter crime. Policing the system has generally been a job shared by LAPD, Long Beach police and the sheriff's department, since Metro trains and buses move through their various jurisdictions.
Metro hopes to have its own in-house police department operational by 2029.
He faces special scrutiny, as Metro is a key component of transportation during the upcoming World Cup and Olympic Games. LA will host the World Cup in 2026, the Super Bowl in 2027, and the Olympics in 2028.