Is the Los Angeles Metro safe? According to Mayor Karen Bass, that’s a matter of opinion.
“I don't think that people perceive it as safe right now, whether it actually is safe or not,” she told KNX News’ Craig Fiegener. “If you don't feel that something is safe, then that's the way it is.”
Last week, Bass ordered an “immediate surge of law enforcement” on Metro in response to a series of violent incidents on trains and buses. Despite the increased police presence, there was a stabbing at a bus stop and an attack on a bus driver on Monday.
Bass said she’s aware of the two attacks and plans to “ask those questions.” But she also noted that the apparent recent uptick in violence isn’t entirely out of the ordinary.
“I do think people should keep into perspective that this is a spike, and spikes happen,” she said. “If you look at the overall year, it has been a much better year, and ridership is up almost to pre-pandemic levels. But there are times in the year when crime spikes and this is what we're experiencing right now.”
As of March, overall crime on Metro has dropped steeply year-over-year since 2023.
Bass pledged to, once again, ride the Metro with Fiegener live on KNX News sometime soon.
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