Sheriff’s Rail Patrol Ready--and Waiting : Security: Minor flareups are met by a show of force on the Blue Line. But the relative peace has been a pleasant early surprise.

The first sound of trouble Monday came from the mobile radio perched on the shoulder of Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Deputy Michael Oxley. A fellow officer had stopped some gang members at the 103rd Street station and was calling for backup help--fearing a potential disturbance.

On board the southbound Blue Line, Oxley was still several stops away as the train glided along the tracks at 55 m.p.h. But by the time his train had arrived, the crisis was over. The gang members had dispersed and the emergency call had been canceled.

The 103rd Street platform, however, was still bustling with a dozen sheriff’s deputies who, like Oxley, had suddenly materialized like some kind of transit cavalry.

From trains, foot patrols and radio cars, they had responded swiftly to the emergency call. Now, they were waiting to re-board the trains and resume their patrols.

Monday’s incident was typical of the first three days of Blue Line operations, a minor flareup met by a major show of force.

“It’s been that way all along,” said Oxley, who has spent 40 hours over the last three days moving from station to station as part of the Blue Line security force.

“The problem with gangs hasn’t happened,” he said. “The crime problems haven’t happened. It’s all been pretty peaceful.”

The relative tranquillity has been a relief to transit and sheriff’s officials who have acknowledged that Los Angeles County’s successful return to a commuter rail system will rely heavily on whether people feel safe riding the trains.

The 19-mile line traverses some of the most crime-ridden and gang-plagued territory in the county, but none of that was in evidence over the first few days.

“It’s like making football plans to attack your opponents and the opponents never show up,” said Lt. Jim Holts of the Sheriff’s Transit Services Bureau, formed especially for the job. “You’ve got the field to yourself.”

After three days and more than 100,000 passengers, Holts said there were only three arrests--for trespassing, public drunkenness and disorderly conduct and battery when a passenger slapped another rider during an argument.

For many passengers, the highly visible presence of deputies was a reassuring sight--especially on the weekend when deputies from other stations, mounted patrolmen and undercover officers beefed up security to about 200 officers--well above the normal complement of 120 sworn officers assigned to the transit bureau.

“They’re going to have to get the word out to the public that it is safe and they have to demonstrate that it’s safe because a lot of people are concerned about that,” said Mike Hinton, a certified public accountant who was commuting Monday from his home in Long Beach to downtown Los Angeles.

Other passengers voiced the same concern, noting that some criminals may be biding their time until the hoopla and security wane. Gazing at the army of deputies around her, one Compton woman scoffed. “Let’s see if these guys are around like this six months from now when I’m riding the train at night,” she said shaking her head.

But Sheriff’s Capt. Frank Vadurro, who heads the transit bureau, said he is confident that the department will keep up a high level of security long after the fanfare dies down.

“We’re here to stay,” he said. “We are going to maintain this as a crime-free line to the greatest extent possible. That’s what we’re about.”

When the month of free fares is over, sheriff’s deputies will be involved in checking fares as well as ensuring that radios are silent and nobody is smoking, eating or drinking on the trains--”quality of life” issues that sheriff’s officials say will make up a major share of violations on transit properties.

But it is the specter of violent crime and the shadowy presence of gangs that worries many passengers. And on the inaugural weekend, deputies kept a special eye out for gang members, even those merely out to enjoy a free train ride.

“As long as they’re peaceful, they have a right to ride the trains,” Deputy Oxley said. “As long as they don’t break the law, it’s OK. And we’re here to make sure they don’t break the law.”