Increase in BART Police safety presence resulting in fewer trains delayed by unwanted behavior

"Our presence deters crime and allows us to address problems before they turn into incidents that cause train delays," said BART Police Chief Kevin Franklin. "I think this is very encouraging because it shows that our presence is a positive thing for on-time service and the safe and clean customer experience."

More riders have been telling BART they notice the difference in safety since implementation of the new deployment strategy that emphasizes presence on trains and in stations. The last four consecutive quarters have been the first in BART's history where the percentage of riders who reported seeing BART PD on their trips exceeded the department's official goal of 12%. In the most recent quarter (Q4 2024), more than 19% of riders reported seeing BART PD's safety presence.

BART PD is continuing to recruit more officers to boost its visible safety presence to bring more safety gains to our riders. The department currently has 17 openings for sworn officers. BART PD offers competitive pay including a hiring bonus of $15,000 for lateral transfers and academy graduates. To learn more, go to JoinBARTPD.com.