The Metropolitan Transit System announced Thursday the hiring of former San Diego County Sheriff’s commander Michael Barletta to oversee field security and enforcement operations.
Barletta, who spent 30 years with the Sheriff’s Department, will supervise 200 transit officers.
“Mike has proven experience in all facets of managing a large law enforcement agency and effectively protecting the public.” said Paul Jablonski, MTS CEO.
“All of his law enforcement work has been in San Diego, so he’s familiar with our region and our transit system,” Jablonski said. “Mike’s experience in San Diego and with the Sheriff’s Department will be a valuable resource to us.”
MTS contracts with Transit Systems Security, which deploys 165 officers for MTS. Additionally, MTS directly employs 35 code compliance inspectors.
Barletta will be third in command as the manager of operations for transit enforcement, behind MTS Deputy Director of Transit Enforcement and Code Compliance Ed Musgrove and Director of Transit Enforcement Manuel Guaderrama. Combined, MTS security’s leadership has more than 85 years of law enforcement experience with the Sheriff’s Department and San Diego Police Department.
With the sheriff’s department, Barletta led the Rural Division, where he oversaw law enforcement efforts for 2,200 square miles of San Diego County, the Lemon Grove station, the Investigations Division and the Human Resources Bureau.
—City News Service
