New Security Staffing Plan on the Horizon

MTS Code Compliance Inspector Thomas Leach and Transit System Security Officer Abraham Valdez check fares at the 12th & Imperial Transit Center. As part of the new staffing plan, these “train teams” will be responsible for patrolling the area in and around 3-5 stations during a shift. / Meet Tim Curran

Security is one of the most important issues to MTS passengers, and a new security staffing deployment plan, launching in August, is aimed at making the system safer.

The new plan will increase the number of Code Compliance inspectors (CCI) from 34 to 64 employees, while reducing the number of Transit System Security (TSS) officers on staff from 194 to 144.

While the net loss of staff is 20 officers, by changing the staffing schedule and our deployment strategy, there will actually be a greater uniform presence on our system. In addition, CCI’s have more enforcement authority than the TSS officers, so it will change the enforcement capability of the Transit Enforcement Department. The end result is a better deployment strategy for the safety of our passengers and employees.

How will it work? “The security team will shift to a beat system that will be patrolled by a ‘train team’ (a security officer paired with a Code Compliance Inspector). Each beat will consist of three to five stations and each train team will be responsible for their assigned beat. By adding the additional Code Compliance Inspectors, we nearly triple our enforcement capability at any given time,” said MTS Chief of Police Manny Guaderrama.

Additionally, Security will make changes to the deployment schedule, where MTS can increase the uniform presence during the Day Watch, maintain the same uniform presence during the Night Watch and triple enforcement capability.

This change comes on the heels of another boost to enforcement – the formation of the Joint Agency Task Force in 2015. This is a six-person team of police officers from five different law enforcement agencies help patrol our system, bolster the level of officer experience and powers of arrest. Other efforts to boost security MTS has made include:

• Enhanced video systems on all Trolleys and most transit stations
• Body cameras for code enforcement officers
• A canine unit to patrol trains, and respond to reports of suspicious packages and bomb threats
• “Eagle Team” – a special unit to patrol late night trains on the Orange Line and UC San Diego Blue Line
• The “See Something, Say Something” phone and text messaging system for passengers to report suspicious activity
• Joint security training exercises with partner transit and law enforcement agencies.

Meet Tim Curran – the agency’s new deputy director of transit enforcement. Tim will manage the new staffing deployment plan and has a strong background in law enforcement. Prior to joining MTS, Tim served in the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department for 27 years. In his most recent post, Tim was one of three assistant sheriffs to Sheriff Bill Gore.

Tim will directly oversee approximately 144 TSS officers and another 64 MTS Code Compliance Inspectors. In addition to managing all of MTS Security’s field operations, he will oversee equipment management contracts, state and federal grant applications, the security video monitoring program, Code Enforcement standard operating procedures and more. “

Tim is a critical addition to our team as MTS implements the new staff deployment strategy that nearly triples the number of officers covering the system,” said MTS Chief of Police Manuel Guaderrama. “Tim will oversee this implementation and help ensure its success.”

Welcome to the MTS family, Tim!