METRO ANNOUNCES PEPPER GEL PROGRAM ONE OF SEVERAL NEW SECURITY INITIATIVES

November 16, 2007

METRO has launched several new programs to protect its patrons and employees.

One is the deployment of pepper gel spray to operators.

The pepper gel program – the first of its kind in the country – includes instruction on defensive tactics that operators may use while seated, verbal conflict resolution skills, and other techniques to defuse potentially violent situations.

This program is voluntary, said METRO Chief of Police Tom Lambert.

“We want to give operators a set of tools they can use to de-escalate problems on their buses,” Lambert said. “The pepper gel will be used as a last resort, and operators will be required to file reports if, and when, they use it.”

Lambert said METRO conducted a public study prior to starting the pepper gel program and found that 88 percent of respondents approved of bus operators using pepper gel to protect themselves; 90 percent approved of bus operators using pepper gel to protect passengers. 

Another new initiative, METRO’s bus marshal program, calls for the deployment of plainclothes officers and is designed to reduce crimes not detected by uniformed officers.

METRO has committed $1 million to this program, which will pay overtime for 13 officers.

These officers will augment METRO’s existing program that deploys uniformed officers on routes experiencing increases in incidences on board buses.