In a recent social media post, BART Board Member Debora Allen highlighted her ongoing efforts to address safety concerns within the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) system. Allen, who has been a lone voice on the BART Board since 2019 advocating for more sworn BART police officers, expressed her disappointment over the current state of security on the system.
“Regardless of what comes from the department of Spin, BART has fewer sworn officers available for patrol than in the past. Civilian ‘presence’ has no enforcement authority,” Allen wrote.
She went on to express her frustration that video footage from the BART board meeting last week, where workers and union leaders raised concerns about the safety of BART employees, has not been made public.
The Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) President, Hunt, presented a list of demands on behalf of workers, which included “increased security ‘presence’ throughout the BART system.” However, Allen emphasized the need for more sworn police officers, stating that both workers and riders require effective law enforcement, not just a mere presence.