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December 1, 2016
Mr. Philip A. Washington
Chief Executive Officer
Los Angeles MT A
One Gateway Plaza
Los Angeles, CA 90012
Mr. Jim McDonnell
Sheriff
Sheriffs Headquarters
4 700 Ramona Boulevard
Monterey Park, CA 91754
Subject: Receipt of Title VI Complaint
Dear Mr. Washington and Mr. McDonnell:

 

The purpose of this letter is to inform you about our receipt of a formal complaint against the Los Angeles County Metro Transportation Authority (LACMT A), and the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department (LASD). The complainants, the Labor/Community Strategy Center, allege that LACMT A, LASD, and “employed and contracted police and civilian fare checkers,” are discriminating on the basis of race by “demonstrating a pattern and practice of criminalization,  ‘stop and frisk’ fare enforcement and other ‘quality oflife’ citations and arrests on public transportation that systematically and egregiously target Black riders,” in violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VI). 42 U.S.C. § 2000d et seq.

The civil rights offices at both the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Office of the Secretary and the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) will jointly review this complaint, and will inform all parties about its decision going forward. DOT’s Title VI implementation regulations at 49 C.F.R. Part 21 encourage informal resolution of complaints whenever possible. Therefore, we encourage the parties, including LACMTA, LASD, and the Labor/Community Strategy Center, to engage each other in pursuit of a voluntary resolution while DOT and FT A assess the complaint.

No recipient or other person shall intimidate, threaten, coerce, or discriminate against any individual for the purpose of interfering with any right or privilege secured by Section 601 of Title VI or this part, or because he or she has made a complaint, testified, assisted, or participated in any manning in an investigation, proceeding, or hearing under this part. 49 C.F.R. Part  21.1 l(e).

 

Please do not hesitate to contact Ryan Fitzpatrick, Lead Civil Rights Analyst in DOT’s Departmental Office of Civil Rights with any questions about the complaint process. Mr. Fitzpatrick can be reached at.

Yvette Rivera
Associate Director
Departmental Office of Civil Rights
U.S. Department of Transportation cc: Eric Mann, Director, Labor/Community Strategy Center

Linda Ford, Associate Administrator, FTA

 

For questions, more information and Press inquiry call:

Eric Mann

Director, Labor Community Strategy Center

Manuel Criollo

Director of Organizing, Labor Community Strategy Center

(213) 387-2800

info@thestrategycenter.org

View the full-text of the Complaint here:

The Strategy Center Submits DOJ & DOT Civil Rights Complaint Against the LACMTA