BART Police
| Bay Area Rapid
Transit District Police Department |
|
| Established | 1972 |
| Jurisdiction | State Transit |
| Sworn | 200 |
| Non-sworn | 96 |
| Chief of Police | Gary Gee |
The BART Police Department is the police force of the San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District (BART).
The BART Police Department comprises 296 personnel, of which 200 are sworn peace officers. Although their powers extend throughout the state, like those of most California peace officers, they are restricted to performing their duties on BART property, or when performing "necessary duties with respect to patrons, employees, and properties" of BART. This restriction comes from California Penal Code section 830.33(a), which confers BART officers with police powers.
Chief of Police Gary Gee commands the department which provides all police services including law enforcement, parking, and community relations. To prepare for major emergencies, critical incidents, and tactical responses, the department is part of the Bay Area’s mutual aid pacts and maintains teams for special operations such as tactical response and crisis negotiation.
Organization
Community service officers, communications/9-1-1 dispatchers, revenue protection-guards, and clerical staff comprise the department’s civilian employees. In addition to meeting California Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) requirements, BART requires officers to have one year of college education before they can apply. Most officers are assigned to patrol, with a few officers assigned to special operations teams.
Patrol Bureau
The Patrol Bureau is decentralized into four geographical police zones, each with its own headquarters and field offices. Zone lieutenants are assigned the personnel, equipment, and resources to manage their respective police operations. There are BART police facilities and field offices in Oakland, Concord, Walnut Creek, Pittsburg, El Cerrito, Dublin/Pleasanton, Castro Valley, San Leandro, Hayward, San Francisco, Colma, and San Bruno.
Special Services
BART police has placed emergency callboxes in parking lots and on train platforms that connect directly to the BART police 9-1-1 communications center. The District also utilizes video-surveillance systems in trains, stations, and parking lots.
Specialized assignments include field training officer, K-9 Handler, SWAT operator, detective, bicycle patrol, personnel and training officer, applicant background investigator, crime analyst, administrative traffic officer, FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) investigator, and undercover anti-vandalism and special-enforcement teams.
Mission and Focus
Since 9/11, more emphasis has been placed on hardening BART’s infrastructure against the threat of terrorism. The department hosts drills for the region’s first-responders and participates in local, state, and federal counter-terrorism working groups. One officer is assigned full time to the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force and a command officer is designated as the department’s mutual-aid, counter-terrorism, and homeland-security liaison. All BART police K-9's are certified in explosives detection, as well as drug detection and crowd control.
External links
See also
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