Metro Announces Beefed Up Security Features at Stations

Metro riders can expect to see "eye in the sky" towers and security kiosks as part of a plan to beef up security, the public transit agency and LA County Sheriff's Department announced Thursday.

Security towers called SkyWatch will provide surveillance video in the Willow, Aviation, Culver City and Heritage Square station parking lots. The towers will be paid for with a California Transit Security Grant of about $480,000, Metro said. The security towers can also be towed to other stations if necessary.

The agency has begun installing "state of the art" security kiosks for a more robust security presence. Funded with a $5.1 million California Transit Security Grant, the kiosks will be located in the Willow, Crenshaw, Aviation, La Cienega, North Hollywood, Expo Power, Wilshire and Western, 7th and Flower and Hollywood and Highland stations.

Sheriff's deputies now also have the ability to use smartphones or tablets to view real-time video from surveillance cameras placed at Metro's public transportation facilities.

In the future, this technology also could allow security officers to view video footage from inside rail cars or buses, Metro officials said.

City News Service contributed to this report.

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