LA Metro taps Scott to lead new public safety department

The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LA Metro) last week announced that William "Bill" Scott has been selected to serve as the agency's first chief of police and emergency management.

Scott has more than 35 years of law enforcement experience, including eight years as San Francisco's police chief  and 27 years with the Los Angeles Police Department. He joins LA Metro to lead its new public safety department, which was approved by the LA Metro Board in June 2024 to unify and oversee all LA Metro safety operations under one command structure, agency officials said in a press release.

As chief, Scott will be responsible for building the department from the ground up, overseeing everything from command staff selection, training standards, to uniforms, technology systems and deployment strategies. He also will lead the agency's security coordination for many upcoming high-profile global events, including the 2026 FIFA World Cup, 2027 Super Bowl and 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

During his tenure in San Francisco, Scott was nationally recognized for his implementation of 21st century policing reforms, completing all 272 recommendations issued by the U.S. Department of Justice. Under his leadership, the San Francisco Police Department significantly reduced use-of-force incidents, prioritized de-escalation training and improved violent crime clearance rates well above national averages, LA Metro officials said.