L.A. Metro to Add Body Scanners

L.A. Metro to Add Body Scanners

The Los Angeles Metro will be the first public transit system in the United States to purchase millimeter wave scanners to screen riders for suspicious objects such as weapons and explosives, officials announced Tuesday.

  • By Jessica Davis
  • Aug 16, 2018

The Los Angeles Metro will be the first public transit system in the United States to purchase millimeter wave scanners to screen riders for suspicious objects such as weapons and explosives, officials announced Tuesday. The portable scanners will be deployed in the coming months, according to Alex Wiggins, who runs the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s law enforcement division.

The portable scanner machines can scan more than 2,000 passengers per hour, detecting metallic and non-metallic objects on a person’s body from 30 feet away. Signs will be posted at stations to inform passengers of the body scanner screening. The process is voluntary, Wiggins said, but people who choose to opt out of screening won’t be able to ride on the metro.

“We’re looking specifically for weapons that have the ability to cause a mass-casualty event,” Wiggins said. “We’re looking for explosive vests, we’re looking for assault rifles. We’re not necessarily looking for smaller weapons that don’t have the ability to inflict mass casualties.”

In addition to the portable scanners, the agency also plans to purchase body scanners that resemble cameras on tripods and are able to move around and focus in on specific people and angles.

The TSA has tested body scanners in New York’s Penn Station, as well as Union Station in Washington, D.C., and at a New Jersey Transit station during the 2014 Super Bowl. In December, a man injured himself by setting off a crude pipe bomb strapped to his chest in a subway hallway near Times Square in New York City.

The Metro’s Red Line sees about 150,000 passengers daily, and the subway system counted more than 112 million rides last year, according to officials.

About the Author

Jessica Davis is the Associate Content Editor for 1105 Media.

Featured

  • Data Driven, Proactive Response

    As cities face rising demands for smarter policing and faster emergency response, Real Time Crime Centers (RTCCs) are emerging as essential hubs for data-driven public safety. In this interview, two experts with deep field experience — Ross Bourgeois of New Orleans and Dean Cunningham of Axis Communications — draw on decades of operational, leadership and technology expertise to share how RTCCs are transforming public safety through innovation, interagency collaboration and a relentless focus on community impact. Read Now

  • Integration Imagination: The Future of Connected Operations

    Security teams that collaborate cross-functionally and apply imagination and creativity to envision and design their ideal integrated ecosystem will have the biggest upside to corporate security and operational benefits. Read Now

  • Smarter Access Starts with Flexibility

    Today’s workplaces are undergoing a rapid evolution, driven by hybrid work models, emerging smart technologies, and flexible work schedules. To keep pace with growing workplace demands, buildings are becoming more dynamic – capable of adapting to how people move, work, and interact in real-time. Read Now

  • Trends Keeping an Eye on Business Decisions

    Today, AI continues to transform the way data is used to make important business decisions. AI and the cloud together are redefining how video surveillance systems are being used to simulate human intelligence by combining data analysis, prediction, and process automation with minimal human intervention. Many organizations are upgrading their surveillance systems to reap the benefits of technologies like AI and cloud applications. Read Now

  • The Future is Happening Outside the Cloud

    For years, the cloud has captivated the physical security industry. And for good reason. Remote access, elastic scalability and simplified maintenance reshaped how we think about deploying and managing systems. But as the number of cameras grows and resolutions push from HD to 4K and beyond, the cloud’s limits are becoming unavoidable. Bandwidth bottlenecks. Latency lags. Rising storage costs. These are not abstract concerns. Read Now

Most   Popular

New Products

  • QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC)

    QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC)

    The latest Qualcomm® Vision Intelligence Platform offers next-generation smart camera IoT solutions to improve safety and security across enterprises, cities and spaces. The Vision Intelligence Platform was expanded in March 2022 with the introduction of the QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC), which delivers superior artificial intelligence (AI) inferencing at the edge.

  • PE80 Series

    PE80 Series by SARGENT / ED4000/PED5000 Series by Corbin Russwin

    ASSA ABLOY, a global leader in access solutions, has announced the launch of two next generation exit devices from long-standing leaders in the premium exit device market: the PE80 Series by SARGENT and the PED4000/PED5000 Series by Corbin Russwin. These new exit devices boast industry-first features that are specifically designed to provide enhanced safety, security and convenience, setting new standards for exit solutions. The SARGENT PE80 and Corbin Russwin PED4000/PED5000 Series exit devices are engineered to meet the ever-evolving needs of modern buildings. Featuring the high strength, security and durability that ASSA ABLOY is known for, the new exit devices deliver several innovative, industry-first features in addition to elegant design finishes for every opening.

  • Compact IP Video Intercom

    Viking’s X-205 Series of intercoms provide HD IP video and two-way voice communication - all wrapped up in an attractive compact chassis.