Metro rolls out technology that scans for concealed weapons
As the troubling trend in violence on Metro transportation continues across Los Angeles, Metro officials unveiled a new pilot program they say should help mitigate the problem.
It comes a day after a man was stabbed at a Metro station in Downtown Los Angeles early Tuesday morning. While the suspect was quickly taken into custody, it's just another in a long string of incidents that have many people on edge when it comes to public transit.
Though Mayor Karen Bass and other Metro board officials say that security has been beefed up and ridership is trending in the right direction, some riders say that the changes just aren't happening quickly enough for them to feel safe.
"I got punched in the face a couple of months ago by some random guy," said Luis Escalante, a regular Metro rider. He says that the system is flooded with mentally unstable people. "Every second, every corner. If you take the Metro, they are everywhere."
While the weapon detection system is still a work in progress and has yet to be approved for the dozens of other Metro stations, riders say that improved security is more than welcome.
"That would be nice, if they had anything that does anything close to reducing, you know, anything with knives and guns," Escalante said.
The Union Station detection system randomly scans passengers, not every single one. It's one of many systems being tested through December, to determine its effectiveness, and if should be implemented across Metro systems.
Mayor Bass and other city officials continue to make security changes and enhancements ahead of the Los Angeles 2028 Summer Olympics.
