Los Angeles Metro’s Ambassador Program Under Scrutiny

News Summary

The Los Angeles Metro faces criticism after hiring Fernando Vinicio Chavez, who had an open sexual assault case. Chavez, arrested for intent to commit rape, raises concerns about the screening process of the ambassador program. Following his arrest, Metro initiated an investigation, revealing flaws in the vendor’s background checks. Plans to enhance vetting procedures and transition the program in-house aim to improve safety and service levels for public transportation.

Los Angeles – The Los Angeles Metro’s ambassador program has come under scrutiny following the hire of Fernando Vinicio Chavez, who had an open sexual assault case at the time of his employment. Chavez was arrested by Santa Monica police in August 2023 for assault with intent to commit rape, just four months after being contracted by Metro. He was working on the Metro system in Downtown Los Angeles when he allegedly met his next victim after finishing his shift.

Chavez was reportedly wearing a green Metro-branded polo at the time of his arrest at a beach with the victim. The Metro ambassador program, which aims to provide a friendly presence on public transportation, is managed by two third-party vendors. In this case, Strive Well-Being, the vendor responsible for Chavez’s hiring, did not find any concerning records during its background check process, allowing Chavez to be employed despite pending sexual assault charges.

Chavez was previously arrested in June 2022 by Orange Police for forced sexual penetration and assault related to an incident that occurred while he worked as a ride-share driver in October 2021. He had been out on bail at the time Metro hired him in April 2023. Sanjay Sangani, president of Strive Well-Being, noted that their background checks considered felony and misdemeanor records over a seven-year period. However, the hiring process was influenced by California’s Fair Chance Act, which restricts employer inquiries about an applicant’s criminal history before a job offer is made. Strive Well-Being chose not to utilize the exceptions that would have allowed them to ask about pending charges.

Following Chavez’s arrest, Strive Well-Being fired him three days later. In May 2024, Chavez pleaded guilty to assault with intent to commit a sexual offense in Orange County, leading to a four-year prison sentence. Notably, the L.A. County District Attorney’s Office declined to file charges related to the Santa Monica incident due to insufficient evidence.

In light of this situation, Metro initiated an investigation into the scandal and began efforts to tighten their background check processes. Strive Well-Being has since implemented a “more comprehensive” background check, which now covers ten counties instead of five, and includes multi-state sex offender registries. In addition, Metro is planning to bring the ambassador program in-house, aiming to address the current staffing challenges and ensure uniformity in background check procedures.

The ambassador program, launched in March 2023, facilitates nearly 70,000 interactions with riders monthly. The ambassadors offer assistance with wayfinding and connecting riders to resources, while also expected to handle some basic public safety issues. The goal to transition the program into an in-house public safety department will include collective bargaining and enhanced benefits for the staff, responding directly to community concerns.

As part of this transition, Metro anticipates a 60% increase in the number of available ambassadors once the new department is fully operational. This move reflects Metro’s commitment to improving safety and service levels on public transport, reinforcing the importance of thorough vetting in hiring practices.

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Additional Resources

• LAist: Transit Ambassador Arrest
• Wikipedia: Los Angeles Metro
• The Guardian: LA Metro Ambassador Program
• Google Search: Los Angeles Metro Ambassador Program
• CBS News: Metro Ambassador Saves Victim
• Encyclopedia Britannica: Public Transportation
• Pasadena Now: Metro Union Workers Challenge Hiring
• Google News: Los Angeles Metro Safety