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Ambassadors, Outreach Services for People Experiencing Homelessness, Behavioral Health Issues Will Complement Law Enforcement, Security teams to Provide Balanced Comprehensive Public Safety Support for Riders
Los Angeles (Jan. 12, 2026) – Metro’s Department of Public Safety (DPS) today launched its Care-Based Services Division focused on taking a holistic approach to public safety that prioritizes safety, dignity and the right response for every situation.
Metro’s Care-Based Services Division brings together all of Metro’s care-centered public safety programs within the DPS, including Metro Ambassadors, Homeless Outreach Management and Engagement (HOME), and Community Intervention Specialists.
This new division will work in close coordination with the department’s other divisions that oversee law enforcement, code of conduct enforcement, physical security and emergency management, resulting in enhanced coordination and improved response times to ensure all riders and employees feel safe and are safe.
Leading this new division will be Craig Joyce, LCSW, a Senior Executive Officer with more than 15 years’ experience as a social worker, who will report directly to William Scott, Metro’s Chief of Police and Emergency Management. Joyce joined Metro in 2023 and successfully led the agency’s homeless outreach initiative that has resulted in a 38% year-over-year reduction in homeless individuals seeking shelter on the system according to the 2025 Metro Point in Time Count.
“Today marks a significant step forward in Metro’s promise to deliver a holistic public safety model that includes mental health support, crisis intervention, outreach to vulnerable populations on our transit system alongside law enforcement,” said Fernando Dutra, Metro Board Chair and City of Whittier Council Member.
Together, the Care-Based Services Division reflects Metro’s commitment to a modern public safety approach – one that is holistic, integrated, and visible. To ensure all Metro riders and employees feel safe throughout the system, Metro is bringing together the following current and emerging programs:
- Metro Ambassadors provide a highly visible, uniformed presence across the system with a focus on customer support, wayfinding, and helping riders feel safe. Ambassadors are especially effective in creating a sense of comfort for riders who may be uneasy interacting with sworn officers, while still serving as an important part of Metro’s overall safety ecosystem.
- HOME and Community Intervention Specialists complement this work by responding to situations involving mental health crises or vulnerable individuals through a multidisciplinary, care-first approach. These teams focus on de-escalation and connection to appropriate services, working closely with sworn officers when needed to ensure situations are handled safely and effectively.
- Metro’s emerging Crisis Response Teams will respond to behavioral health-related incidents on the rail and busway system, using clinicians, peer specialists, and, when appropriate, trained DPS officers. Deployed through a zone-based model, Crisis Response Teams emphasize rapid response, stabilization, and connection to supportive resources, helping resolve incidents in ways that reduce reliance on traditional law enforcement while reinforcing system-wide safety.
“Metro is leading the way in creating a new approach to public safety for transit,” said Metro CEO Stephanie Wiggins. “This new path is built on the hard work that’s been done across the agency to make Metro cleaner, safer and more welcoming for all riders. Now we are bringing together the care-based groups that Metro has piloted, and we know are effective, under one strong, unified vision. This collaborative approach reflects a growing recognition of the importance of integrating mental health expertise into public safety responses and promoting trauma-informed approaches to crisis intervention.”
On June 28, 2024, the Metro Board of Directors unanimously approved the establishment of an in-house public safety department to ensure increased visibility, accountability, and consistent service delivery. By the end of 2029, Metro’s Public Safety Department will deploy its own hired and specially trained law enforcement officers in the field, alongside Ambassadors, homeless outreach and crisis intervention staff 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 at Metro transit stations.
About Metro
The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) is building the most ambitious transportation infrastructure program in the United States and is working to greatly improve mobility through its Vision 2028 Plan. Metro is the lead transportation planning and funding agency for L.A. County and carries nearly 1 million boardings daily on a fleet of 2,200 low-emission buses and six rail lines. The latest October 2025 customer experience survey showed that customer satisfaction has risen to 87%.
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