Security Configuration form (S&S-30)

The Security Configuration form (S&S-30) collects information on the number and type of police and / or security personnel used to provide security at a transit agency. This form is completed annually at the beginning of the calendar year.

This form is required for all transit agencies except those with an approved Nine or Fewer Reporting Waiver.

Screen shot of Security Configuration form (S&S-30)

Overview

The Security Configuration form (S&S-30) is used to collect the number and type of police and/or security personnel used to provide security at a transit agency. This form is completed annually at the beginning of the calendar year.

This form is required for all transit agencies, except those with an approved Nine or Fewer Vehicles waiver.

Reporting Requirements and Thresholds

The Security Configuration form (S&S-30) collects information regarding the number and type of police/security personnel used to provide security at a transit agency. One form will be generated for each mode as reported in the Safety and Security Setup form (S&S-10).

It is not necessary to update this form over the course of the year to reflect changes in staffing. Complete and submit the form once at the beginning of each calendar year.

What Has Changed from Prior Year

"Contracted local police" has been changed to "Contracted local law enforcement."
Clarification and examples of reporting security personnel configurations have been added.

Approach

The S&S-30 must be completed annually by all reporters, except those with an approved Nine or Fewer Vehicles waiver, for each mode of service provided by the system.

Detailed Instructions

As the form is being completed, changes should be saved by clicking the Save button frequently. When all data has been entered into the form and verified for accuracy, the form can be submitted to FTA by clicking the Submit Report button. Click on the Close button to exit the form.

Keep in mind that one form is generated and must be completed for each mode. Any reasonable method for allocating personnel across modes is acceptable. One agency may choose to allocate security resources based on modal ridership, where another may choose to allocate based on modal annual trips. Please refer to the examples below or contact your Safety & Security Analyst for more information.

Completing the Security Configuration form (S&S - 30)

Number of Primary Security Personnel: Enter the number of personnel used routinely to patrol grounds and to respond to incidents in or on transit property per mode. For agencies that use local police (non-contracted), no estimate of the number of personnel is required.

Total Number of Security Personnel : Enter the number of full time equivalent security or police personnel dedicated to providing security at the transit agency to the nearest tenth of a person. The person count covers both the primary configuration and secondary configurations per mode, as described below. Include security guards and police officers hired by the transit agency as well as local police officers specifically dedicated to providing transit security (for example, a transit unit of a local police department).

Only full time equivalent employees are to be reported at the beginning of the calendar year. A full time equivalent employee typically works 40 hours per week, or 2,080 hours per year.

Prorate the person counts if a full time employee:

Spends only part of his/her time providing transit security, or
Provides transit security for more than one mode.

Again, the transit agency may use any reasonable method.

Example 2 -Allocating Security Personnel among Modes

Example: A transit agency operates both bus (MB) and light rail (LR) service. The transit agency contracts 12 security guards to patrol its non-revenue facilities (administrative buildings). There are 400 MB and 100 LR employees working at the administrative buildings. The transit agency contracts an additional 5 guards to respond to incidents on its rail vehicles.

Solution:

On the S&S-30 (MB) Contracted security force is selected as the primary security configuration; for total personnel and for primary configuration enter 9.6 (400 MB employees / 500 total employees X 12 security guards)
On the S&S-30 (LR) Contracted security force is selected as the primary security configuration. For total personnel and for primary configuration enter 7.4 [(100 LR employees / 500 total employees X 12 security guards) + 5 rail guards].

Example 3 -Enumerating Security Personnel

Example: A transit agency uses four full time employees plus one-third of an additional employee's time to provide security on its buses.

Solution: On the S&S-30, in the first box enter 4.3.

Primary and Secondary Security Configuration:

From the list provided select the security configuration types that are used by your agency. For primary check one box; for secondary, check as many boxes as apply. Primary and Secondary security forces can be interchangeable due to staffing concerns (e.g., major sporting events). In this case, the Secondary Security force will become primary as the first choice of action.

Dedicated transit police force: Your agency operates a (sworn) transit police force.
Dedicated (transit) unit of local police: Your agency makes use of a municipal police force or sheriff's department (not paid for directly by your agency) that has a specific transit unit or department.
Contracted local law enforcement: Your agency contracts with a local police department or sheriff’s department to provide officers or deputies who provide security services at the transit agency.
Transit agency security force: Your agency uses in-house non-sworn security guards (i.e., not sworn police officers). In this case, the security guards are employees of the transit agency.
Contracted security force: Your agency uses contracted non-sworn security guards (i.e., not sworn police officers).
Off-duty police officers: Your agency hires off-duty police officers who "moonlight" at the transit agency (i.e., it contracts directly with individual off-duty officers as opposed to contracting with a local law enforcement agency).
Use of local police (non-contracted): Your agency relies on a local police or sheriff's department for security. Select this option if your agency does not pay for this coverage through a contractual arrangement. Such a department would be one that primarily performs general policing activities in a municipality or area, but is also used by the transit agency from time to time, as needed.

Primary and Secondary Checklist: Enter the number of personnel used occasionally to respond to more serious events occurring in or on transit property when the Primary Security Personnel force requires assistance. For agencies that use local police (non-contracted), no estimate of the number of personnel is required.

Example 4—Security Configuration Report

Example: Primary and Secondary Security Configurations

A transit agency, that only operates bus (MB) service, uses 12 transit employed security guards to patrol its non-revenue facilities as well as to respond to any incidents that may occur on its buses. In addition, local police are called occasionally to respond to more serious events. The agency, however, considers the security guards to constitute its primary security configuration.

Solution:

For line 01, Number of Primary Security Personnel, and line 02, Total Number of Security Personnel, enter 12
For line 03, column a, primary configuration, check the Transit agency security force box
For line 03, column b, secondary configuration, check the Use of local police (non-contracted) box

Example: Multiple secondary security configurations

A transit agency, that only operates MB service, uses a transit police force of 15 officers, which it considers to be its primary means of providing security. In addition, the agency hires 20 security guards to patrol parking lots and calls the local police department to respond to incidents occasionally. Solution:

For line 01, Number of Primary Security Personnel, enter 15
For line 02, Total Number of Security Personnel, enter 35
For line 03, column a, primary configuration, check the Dedicated transit police box
For line 03, column b, secondary configuration, check both the Contracted security force and the Use of local police (non-contracted) boxes.

Example: Multiple modes security configurations
A transit agency operates demand response (DR) and motor bus (MB) service. The agency has a dedicated transit police force of 20 officers that patrol or respond only to MB operations and they occasionally use local police for special events. The DR mode relies on the use of local police.
Solution for the DR form:

For line 01, Number of Primary Security Personnel, enter 0
For line 02, Total Number of Security Personnel, enter 0
For line 03, column a, primary configuration, check the Use of local police (non-contracted) box
For line 03, column b, secondary configuration, check the Use of local police (non-contracted) box.

Solution for the MB form:

For line 01, Number of Primary Security Personnel, enter 20
For line 02, Total Number of Security Personnel, enter 20
For line 03, column a, primary configuration, check the Dedicated transit police box
For line 03, column b, secondary configuration, check the Use of local police (non-contracted) box.

Example: Use of Part-time Security Personnel

A transit agency operates light rail (LR) and motor bus (MB) service. The agency has a full time dedicated transit police force of 30 officers for both modes and a contract with the local police using 10 off-duty police officers for 4 hour shifts during peak periods. This would mean that they have 15 full time security personnel for each mode plus 2.5 part time security personnel for each mode (10 part time = 5 full time divided by 2 modes). Solution for the both the LR form and the MB form:

For line 01, Number of Primary Security Personnel, enter 15
For line 02, Total Number of Security Personnel, enter 17.5
For line 03, column a, primary configuration, check the Dedicated transit police force box
For line 03, column b, secondary configuration, check the Off-duty police officers box.

Further Considerations: The S&S-30 form only allows for one primary choice. If a large agency has two categories of security personnel they consider as their primary, the agency should report as their Primary force the security category which has the largest number of employees. The other security personnel would be reported as Secondary.

If an agency contracts for security for which it pays a monthly fee based on services used, to report the full time employee equivalent for this service the agency should use the prior year's information of total hours worked to arrive at the number of security employees for the current year.

If an agency uses a dedicated transit police force for both the MB and DR service it operates, but the DR service never requires security response, it is acceptable to report zero (0) security personnel for the DR mode.