BART Police Department

Get your costumes ready! Join us at North Berkeley Station for Trunk or Treat. We will be handing out candy and non-candy treats.

Always great to work with our friends from Antioch PD and making our communities safe!

Thanks to the watchful eye of two Community Service Officers this morning, a missing 12-year-old boy has been safely reunited with his family after spending the night away from home. Community Service Officers Michele Lazaneo and Jordan Averiett started their shift today with a mission to find Sam, the missing youth, after they saw San Francisco Police Department put out a bulletin the night before. Sam had walked away from his middle school the day before and was considered ...at-risk due to his age and a medical condition. Before their shifted started, Lazaneo and Averiett checked to see if the boy had been located overnight. He had not. Lazaneo and Averiett are non-sworn police staff who take pride in building connections in the community and with our riders. While walking around 16th Street Mission Station greeting passengers and providing a helpful presence during the early morning commute, they spotted a young man who matched the photo from the SFPD bulletin. They spoke to him and confirmed it was Sam and contacted SFPD. Not long after, Sam’s family and SFPD arrived at the station for the reunion. As they went to return home, Sam’s mom ran back over and gave our community service officers a big hug and thanked them for their efforts. BART’s General Manager Bob Powers was at the station for his Listening Tour and watched as this all played out. He expressed his gratitude to Lazaneo and Averiett on the spot noting the important role frontline staff play at BART.

Castro Valley BART station will be hopping today from 5-8pm for National Night Out, so please join BART Police for this terrific community event. Castro Valley BART station is located at 3348 Norbridge Avenue and BPD hopes to see your family there. We thank the awesome supporters which are helping to make tonight such a huge success at Castro Valley BART station: $alazars Taquero Debbie’s Treasures Zee’s Homemade Quiches & Food Trays LLC Ginger Catering LLC... Big Dawgs Hot Dogs Antojitas la tapatia Designbybruh Chica Fly Boutique Els Drip Heart & Hustle Mariscos & Micheriscos Mimisinstaglam Say It With Sandy Zesty Zeviche Resurrection Products Chingonestacos Cupcakesporvida1 Handmade Polymer Clay Earrings See more

As you begin your day, please remember the 2,977 innocent people who lost their lives 19 years ago on September 11, 2001.

The BART Police Department is launching a new initiative that gives riders another way to request assistance from officers while they’re in the system. Text BART Police allows riders, employees, and others to directly contact the BPD Dispatch Center. The launch builds on the success of the BART Watch app, which has been downloaded 89,000 times. The number for Text BART Police is 510-200-0992. I want to give our riders as many ways as possible to reach us while they’re on ...our trains and in our stations, said BART Police Chief Ed Alvarez. Text BART Police makes it easy for anyone to use their phone to discreetly contact us if a need should arise. Text BART Police is operational 24 hours a day, seven days a week and can also be used to send pictures to BPD. Much like the BART Watch app, the number should be primarily used for non-emergency reports. Anyone with an emergency is still urged to call 911 or contact their Train Operator.

BART Police Chief Ed Alvarez told the group Latinos in Transit how his experience as an immigrant has shaped his policing philosophy, most recently when he created a new Bureau: the Progressive Policing and Community Engagement Bureau. They’re going to continue the work we’ve done to make connections with the communities we serve, he said in the discussion on Friday. It’s the message that we teach and train constantly. If you treat people with respect, you’re going to get...Continue reading

Sonja Hagins Perry never gave up on her son, her firstborn, her boy who loved music, art, being a big brother. For the past several years, T.A.E. (his mother re...quested he be identified by his initials only) had lived on the streets in San Francisco, taking shelter in BART stations where he frequently engaged with BART PD’s crisis intervention officers and homeless outreach specialists. T.A.E., 30, became homeless after episodes of psychosis as a young adult, his mother said, which ultimately led to a diagnosis of schizophrenia. Perry said she is talking about her son’s mental health issues with his permission as part of his treatment and recovery and to give hope to others in her situation. Full story can be read here: https://www.bart.gov/news/articles/2020/news20200730 Periodically he would reach out and call me, said Perry, who moved from Northern California where she was stationed at Travis Air Force Base to San Antonio, Texas, about a decade ago. Anytime I saw a 415 area code, I knew it was him." T.A.E. gave his mother the phone number for Armando Sandoval , BART's Crisis Intervention Training Coordinator and Community Outreach Liaison. "Armando started calling me," she said. "He was my guardian angel. Sandoval helped Perry with resources so she could better advocate for her son. She studied up on the law, on treatments and medications, on paperwork and forms, on techniques to deescalate a crisis. And she asked for help from a higher power, relying on her faith. In mid-July, after contacts from Sandoval and BPD Officers Eric Hofstein and Nicholas Luzano, Perry had a call from her son and felt her prayer had been answered. Not only was T.A.E. alive, he was in a period of lucidity where he was receptive to begin treatment and recovery. He was ready to get better, Perry said. She packed a bag with clean clothes and toiletries for T.A.E., enlisted her brother to help, and flew from San Antonio to the Bay Area, where the first stop was the BART PD office at Powell Street Station to patch together the pieces of her son’s life. T.A.E.’s contacts with BART PD were mainly for low-level infractions like fare evading, but he was enough of a regular to have been on the radar of BART PD’s crisis-intervention staff and of partners contracted with the SF Homeless Outreach Team, including SFHOT's Jessie Jones. BART's Fiscal Year 2021 budget will include an additional community outreach specialist and continued emphasis on connecting people in crisis with services. Sandoval and the officers helped Perry to check for her son around the downtown San Francisco BART stations and at community-based organizations and churches in the area that offer free meals to those in need. One morning she went over to the St. Anthony’s Dining Room, which is serving grab-and-go instead of sit-down meals due to COVID-19. It was bittersweet, she said of the moment she saw her son there. I knew it was him immediately. And he had no idea who we were. He said, ‘Do you know me?’ It broke my heart. As we were talking more, he said, ‘Mommy, is that you?’ I said ‘Yes, Baby.’ He started crying. He didn’t recognize me because I’ve gone all gray now. He said, ‘Are you mad at me?’ and I said, ‘No, Baby. I’m here to take you home.’ And he said, I want to go home.’ " San Francisco Department of Public Health’s Dr. Anita J. Barzman helped also to streamline his diagnosis, medications and follow-up plan, Perry said. Perry and T.A.E. got home to San Antonio just this week, on Tuesday. He had a joyful reunion with his sisters, got to know his stepfather and asked his mom if she would cut his hair. (SEE TEXT SCREENSHOT BELOW) They’ve joined NAMI, the National Alliance for Mental Health, and T.A.E. is taking his medications and arranging for therapy, Perry said. We’re still learning, she said. I’m trying to keep things stable and calm for him. Perry asked T.A.E. if he wanted to share some words for this article; he needed a little time to collect his thoughts then wrote in a text: It’s about family. That’s all that matters. The BART Police treated me like family. I’m thankful and happy to be reunited with my family. They took my text messages, my phone calls. They made me feel like T.A.E.’s was the only case they were working on, even though I know they were very busy, Perry said. He wasn’t just another number, they treated him like a person. Police officers as a whole get a bad rap but for these individuals from BART, I just can’t thank them enough. They were the only connection I had to my child, Perry said. Knowing he was OK, just knowing if he was dead or alive, knowing anything about him, that’s the only way I could sleep at night. God prevailed, at every step along the way.

BART Police Chief Ed Alvarez and BART Independent Police Auditor Russell Bloom have issued the following joint statement: The BART Police Department and the Office of the Independent Police Auditor stand together in denouncing the killing of George Floyd while in police custody in Minneapolis. His death was tragic and should not have happened. We are committed and accountable to our riders and the region, and we bolster our accountability through layers of robust oversight.... We are also committed to strengthening our relationship with our community, to increase trust, and to maintaining an open dialogue. We extend our deepest condolences to the George Floyd family.

BART is working hard to reimagine transit service as the region begins to reopen and riders return. We understand the public is looking to us to provide reassu...rance that service is as safe as possible and social distancing is followed. To welcome riders back and regain confidence in public transit, BART is taking the following 15 steps while continuing to explore new measures and technologies that could assist in a safe recovery. Step 1 Cleaning BART is using hospital-grade disinfectant in stations and on-board trains. Train poles are wiped down with disinfectant at the end of the line during service hours. Crews use electrostatic foggers on train cars that spray disinfecting mist that coats and clings to surfaces. Station touchpoints are wiped down multiple times each day. Step 2 Run Long Trains BART is committed to running service that allows for social distancing. We will continue to run long trains all day to allow riders to spread out. BART has determined riders can maintain social distancing of 6 feet on-board train cars with no more than 30 people per car. Social distancing of 3 feet can be achieved with no more than 60 people per car. Step 3- Increase Train Frequency BART is currently running service every 30 minutes on weekdays, but we are monitoring ridership daily and will add additional trains during commute hours in the 15-minute slots once data shows that train cars consistently have more than 30 people on board. As businesses allow for staggered shifts, BART will extend the hours of 15-minute frequencies. Riders should expect a 9 pm closure for the time being. We are planning our budget in a way that will allow us to scale up when the recovery creates demand. If demand and revenue are low, we will need to continue 30-minute frequencies. Step 4- Pilot New Seat Configuration BART’s Fleet of the Future provides for modular seating. BART will pilot a new configuration of seats that could potentially help create space between riders. Updated CDC guidelines indicate coronavirus does not spread easily from contact with contaminated surfaces and that person to person contact is the main source of coronavirus spread. BART is looking at ways to create as much space to spread out as possible. BART does not plan to block off seats for use because it is difficult to enforce and is subject to vandalism. Step 5- Require Face Coverings BART will continue to require face coverings at all times for all riders ages 13 and older. Consistent with county health orders, children aged 12 or younger are not required to wear a face covering and children aged 2 or younger should not wear one because of the risk of suffocation. Even if the local counties ease the face covering mandate, BART plans to keep it. Currently Downtown San Francisco station agent booths have extra masks for those who need one. We’re also supplying officers with extra masks to hand out if necessary. BART Procurement is exploring having face mask vending machines inside stations. BART is asking everyone to do their part to help protect their fellow riders by wearing face coverings at all times while in the system. Step 6- Police Enforcement BART Police will enforce the face covering requirement and be positioned at fixed posts near the faregates at many of our stations. Police personnel will conduct more frequent fare checks to increase staff presence on-board trains and inside stations. Crime at BART is down 34% January-April compared with the same four months in 2019. Increased attention will be paid to keeping station entryways clear and safe. Step 7- Visual Indicators Large decals, posters and banners are being printed and will soon be displayed throughout the system and on-board trains to reinforce social distancing expectations and the face covering requirement. While BART does not plan to use standing markers on the platforms and on trains, there will be plenty of signage on platforms and on-board trains and overhead announcements reminding riders to social distance and spread out. Step 8- Hand Sanitizer BART will continue to offer hand sanitizer at every station. We are making large signs, so the dispensers are easy to find. Step 9- Contactless Payment Clipper allows for contactless payment at BART. Riders are encouraged to get Clipper and load funds online in advance or get auto-load. This will reduce lines at the ticket vending machines and reduce customer touchpoints. BART will speed up efforts to eliminate the sale of paper tickets and to go Clipper-only at stations systemwide in the coming months. BART is also speeding up efforts to expand the official BART app parking payment feature to all stations (currently available at five stations). Step 10- Personal Hand Straps BART will offer personal hand straps for riders to use and take home for cleaning after each trip. A limited supply will be handed out inside stations to welcome riders back and then will be offered for sale for $5 plus tax by phone order by calling 510-464-7136, in person at the Customer Service window at Lake Merritt Station (Monday-Friday 7:30 am4:45pm) and through a soon-to-be-launched online store. Step 11- Data Transparency BART will continue to post daily ridership numbers at www.bart.gov/covid showing what percentage ridership is at compared to Pre-COVID-19 ridership. During the first part of recovery, this will help reassure riders there is no crowding. BART will also share train car loading data based on the number of riders on a specific train and how on average those riders can spread out among the cars. This information is not available in real time, but we plan to communicate it in some form of frequency on our website and through social media. We will offer this information in an easy to read format to help riders make informed decisions about what time of the day they want to ride. Step 12- New Technologies and Industry Best Practices BART will continue to explore new technologies used by transit systems across the world in response to COVID-19. For example, BART is evaluating a variety of new cleaning procedures such as ultraviolet disinfecting to determine if new methods are safe, won’t cause damage, and are more effective and efficient than current practice. As best practice trends related to safety and customer experience emerge, BART will examine how practical implementation would be for our system. Step 13- Business Community Outreach BART will encourage employers to allow for staggered shifts to help spread out the commute and avoid crowding during peak travel times. BART staff will also participate in virtual town halls with companies to answer questions about BART service and new safety measures. Step 14- Healthy Workforce BART’s greatest asset is our employees and they must remain healthy to continue to provide service. BART is supplying workers with PPE and supplies and offering COVID-19 testing to employees. Station Agents have been advised to stay inside their booth as much as possible to limit exposure. Work areas are being disinfected frequently. Step 15- Rebuild Infrastructure BART is using this time of record low ridership to accelerate infrastructure rebuilding projects facilitated by the extra work hours made available due to an earlier closing time. The increased level of work will shave off time on some of these projects that can be disruptive to passengers. For example, every six weeks BART single tracks beginning at 7 pm in San Francisco for cable replacement, six months of Sunday single tracking are eliminated. This accelerated work ensures that when riders return to the system, it will be in better shape than when they last used it.

Today's the unofficial start of summer. And while we celebrate in the sunshine, let's not forget the men and women who gave their all so we could.

This week across the United States is recognized as National Police Week. During this time, special recognition is given to law enforcement officers who have lost their lives in the line of duty for the safety and protection of others. BART Police honors all fallen brothers and sisters who have made the ultimate sacrifice and are now forever honored at various memorial sites across the country. Even though all local and national events have been canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, BART PD continues to remember these fallen heroes of its law enforcement family through prayer, reflection, or reaching out to a surviving family member.

The BART Police Department and other first responder agencies across Alameda County today participated in a salute to health care workers. A caravan of more than 100 vehicles paraded through Oakland to honor health care workers at Highland Hospital, Alta Bates Summit Medical Center, and Kaiser Permanente Oakland Medical Center. First responders decorated their vehicles and ran their sirens to show respect to the health care workers who are a critical part of the region’s response to the coronavirus pandemic. These local hospitals not only care for people on the BART system who suffer medical emergencies, but they also administer tests for COVID-19 to BART police. So far, no members of the BART Police Department have tested positive for the virus.

County health orders in Alameda, Contra Costa, San Francisco, and San Mateo now require all riders to wear face coverings inside BART stations and on-board trai...ns. If you are riding BART, you need to cover your face to help prevent spread of COVID-19. Read the full article here: https://www.bart.gov/news/articles/2020/news20200421 The orders also require BART to take reasonable measures to remind the public that they need facing coverings and must take all reasonable steps to prohibit any member of the public who is not wearing a face covering from entering and must not serve that person if those efforts are unsuccessful and seek to remove that person. Failure to comply with the emergency health order is a misdemeanor. Enforcement begins Wednesday, April 22, 2020. The new order does not replace the counties’ stay-at-home health order or the need to maintain physical distancing, wash hands frequently and cover coughs and sneezes all fundamental to reducing the spread of COVID-19. Prior to the order, most BART riders were already wearing face coverings while riding. BART will take the following steps to be compliant with the new orders. Public Communication Signs with pictograms will be posted in all stations stating: Face coverings required. Please keep 6 ft apart. Non-medical masks, bandanas, scarves, and cloth can be used. PA announcements inside stations and on-board trains Platform digital sign messages Website updates and social media posts BART Police Deployment and Enforcement Strategies BART Police Chief Ed Alvarez recently shifted deployment to focus police resources to the entrances of stations and near the faregates. This strategy was put into place to improve safety for our employees and riders and to prevent illegal behavior from occurring. Continuing this deployment will help BART enforce the new orders. BART Police will be responsible for reminding riders of the new requirement. Consistent with BART’s current operating procedures, Station Agents will not be used to enforce the new public health emergency orders as they are not trained law enforcement personnel. BART Police will give verbal reminders of the requirement to riders without face coverings when police encounter someone not covering their mouth and nose. Police personnel will remind the rider they have the option to use any material to cover their face. Only upon refusal to cover their face with any material will an officer ask the person to leave the system. Riders should not confront others without a face covering. If someone isn’t wearing a face covering, riders should move away from the individual. Making your own face covering Please help protect yourself, your fellow riders and our BART employees by covering your face. CDC has a great guide of making a face covering using a T-shirt or bandana. https://cdc.gov//prevent-get/diy-cloth-face-coverings.html US Surgeon General Jerome Adams created an easy to-do video too: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tPx1yqvJgf4

This week is National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week, commonly referred to as Dispatcher Appreciation Week. It is a time to celebrate and thank those who dedicate their lives to serving the public. Everyone at the BART Police Department recognizes each and every one of our dispatchers and call-takers for all their hard work and dedication, as they truly are the backbone of our organization.

For the third consecutive month BART has seen a decline in its crime rate. BART’s overall crime rate through March is down 21% compared with the same three months of 2019. The drop includes a 30% decrease in violent crimes over that same period. BART crime had already started to decline in the first two months of this year before ridership was impacted by the global pandemic. Along with the recent decrease in ridership due to the coronavirus BART has seen a dramatic drop i...n crimes involving electronic devices. Last month there were 36 thefts and robberies involving cellphones and laptops. That compares with 117 such crimes in March of 2019. From January through March of this year BART saw 108 cases of snatch-and-run electronic item thefts. That total is down from 220 such cases for the same time last year, which is a drop of 51%. The BART Police Department is rolling out a new deployment strategy in response to concerns about the potential spread of the coronavirus from both front-line BART employees and essential workers who are relying on the system. BPD is now positioning sworn officers as well as non-sworn fare inspectors and community service officers in the paid areas of downtown San Francisco and downtown Oakland stations. At the start of service BPD personnel are now deployed near the fare gates to deter unwanted behavior such as fare evasion. This crime prevention strategy has been bolstered by the recent closure of some entrances at these stations, which makes it easier to focus resources on the remaining entry and exit points. The new strategy not only maximizes the visible presence of officers but supports BART’s goal to maintain appropriate social distancing on trains by reducing the number of encounters between BPD and riders. BPD Chief Ed Alvarez has made bolstering the visible presence of officers a priority since he was named permanent chief in January. In the latest Quarterly Performance Report for the third quarter of Fiscal Year ’20 BPD exceeded its goal of at least 12% of riders in surveys reporting they’ve seen officers in the system. It’s the first time BPD has topped its officer presence goal since last fiscal year.

BART has continued to offer service as the Bay Area has rallied to abide by the state’s stay-at-home order and BART PD officers are doing their part to ensure the safety of the critical workers who are still relying on the system. BART officers are on the job patrolling trains and boosting their visible presence inside stations at fare gates. Train Team patrol officers and Ambassadors are also regularly circulating on trains to boost safety and encourage social distancing. D...espite the dramatic decline in ridership in March, BPD has still been responding to calls for service and making key arrests. Two recent examples include: 38-year-old Corey Cornish was arrested at the West Oakland Station Sunday morning on suspicion of robbery. Cornish was issued a Prohibition Order to stay away from BART and was then booked into Santa Rita Jail. On Friday, 55-year-old Loretta Howard was arrested at the Hayward Station on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon. Howard was issued a Prohibition Order and later booked at Santa Rita Jail. The hiring of more officers and efforts to boost the visible presence of BPD throughout the system started to pay off in the first two months of 2020. January and February of this year saw a 7% drop in BART’s overall crime rate compared with the same two months in 2019. Over that same time violent crime fell 16%. Safety glasses, N95 masks, gloves, and cleaning supplies have been issued to all BPD zone facilities so first responders have the equipment they need to maintain their health and stay on patrol.