Description
With traffic continuing to snarl Los Angeles County’s freeways and an urgent need to reduce auto emissions to curb climate change, the need for public transportation has never been more urgent. But a recent sharp increase in crimes on our local train system has made riders more reluctant than ever to ride the rails.
Is there a fix? In this seminar, USC and transportation experts discuss how to mend our metro system so that it can realize its promise to provide affordable, efficient and low-emission transportation. Panelists include Jim McDonnell, director of USC Price Safe Communities Institute and former Sheriff, Los Angeles County; Rachel Uranga, transportation and mobility reporter at the Los Angeles Times; and Gina Osborn, chief safety officer from Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority. It is moderated by Genevieve Giuliano, Distinguished Professor and Margaret and John Ferraro Chair in Effective Local Government at USC Price School of Public Policy.
Who Will Benefit
– Commuters using the Los Angeles Metro who are looking to better understand the safety and security issues on the system
– Elected officials and policymakers in the LA area seeking to gain valuable insights into the challenges facing the Metro transit system
– Local residents who are looking to stay informed about the safety of public transportation in their city
About Our Featured Faculty
Jim McDonnell is the director of the USC Price Safe Communities Institute. McDonnell brings more than 40 years of public safety experience to the school’s Safe Communities Institute, which advances public safety solutions. He is the first person to serve in senior executive leadership roles in the three largest policing agencies in Los Angeles County: the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LASD); the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD); and the Long Beach Police Department (LBPD). McDonnell has close ties to the USC Price School, where he earned a master’s degree in public administration and serves as a member of the school’s Board of Councilors. He previously obtained a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from St. Anselm College in Manchester, New Hampshire. He’s also a graduate of the FBI’s National Executive Institute and has completed executive education programs at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government.