Forget handcuffs and batons.
In a move that has critics outraged, the Los Angeles Metro has officially launched its “care-based services division,” a new department that swaps armed law enforcement for a “holistic” army of social workers to tackle a transit system that has been plagued by violence.
The new division merges existing soft on crime programs, like the Metro ambassadors, unarmed staffers in neon shirts who assist passengers and “report” issues; HOME teams, which are homeless outreach workers tasked with engagement; community intervention specialists, made up of community members armed with nothing more than “experience with at-risk populations;” and the new crisis response teams, that will “include a mental health clinician, which could be a social worker,” Craig Joyce, who is leading the division, told The Post.
The care-based division is one of four within Metro’s department of public safety.
Transit officials say it’s designed to provide “care-centered public safety,” prioritizing “dignity” and “the right response” for the vagrants and addicts who have turned the city’s public transportation into lairs of chaos.
Recent data reveals that while Metro may be patting itself on the back for implementing trauma-informed solutions, it may be premature.
In 2025, there were 286 aggravated assaults against people on buses or rails were–far higher than pre-pandemic numbers. In 2019, there were 207 aggravated assaults. In 2019, Metro reported 2,747 total crimes, whereas in 2025, there were 4,354.
On average, “well over 80% of calls for service are unrelated to crimes, but rather are people seeking help to address societal issues,” Joyce said.
The new division will not result in a decrease in the number of police officers, but will be “in addition to sworn law enforcement officers, transit security officers and contract security.”
Right now, officers from the Long Beach Police Department, Los Angeles Police Department, and the LA County Sheriff’s Department are patrolling the LA Metro systemwide.
The agency claims these teams will reduce the “reliance on traditional law enforcement.” However, some are quick to point out that these “ambassadors” are often seen staring at their phones or huddling in groups at stations, without the tools needed to intervene when things get ugly.
The California Post is coming soon. Sign up for updates.
Get in early. Be the first to know about launch and home delivery.
Thanks for signing up!
Since Joyce joined Metro in 2023 at the helm of the homeless outreach initiative, the agency pointed to a reported 38% reduction in individuals experiencing homelessness on the system, credited to outreach efforts. But that metric doesn’t necessarily reflect rider safety, particularly when violent or threatening behaviors go beyond what a social worker can address.
While the agency is also assembling an in-house Metro police force, it’s not expected to be fully staffed and operational until 2029. In the meantime, the “care-based” division will be helping out on the front lines.
