$8.5M in additional funding for BART police will go toward raises, recruiting
OAKLAND, Calif. - In a unanimous vote on Thursday, BART board members decided to allocate additional funds to its police force.
The board approved $8.53 million to be dedicated to recruiting and retaining police officers for the Bay Area transit system, which has experienced a decline in ridership since the pandemic.
Many believe that an increase in crime has contributed to the decreased number of riders on the transit system.
During the board meeting, a presentation was given to highlight the necessity and advantages of the proposed budget allocation.
Interim Police Chief Kevin Franklin, who has been serving with BART for 27 years and has held his current leadership role since February, expressed his belief that this infusion of funds will help retain officers who might otherwise be considering a move to other police forces. It will also aid in the recruitment of new officers.
Franklin mentioned that BART PD faces competition from 10 other agencies in the region when it comes to hiring public safety officers, making it challenging to retain and attract personnel.
The increase in budget will raise the starting salary for a top-step police officer from $55.12 to $67.38 per hour.
When asked about the coverage of officers throughout the five-county transit system, Franklin said, "We carefully track the locations of incidents on BART, and we allocate resources where they are needed."
Carol Breslin, a San Francisco resident and a long-time BART rider since the 70s, said she's had safety issues while riding the train. She recounted an incident where an entire train car was filled with marijuana smoke, and she had to switch to another car. She described it as "crazy" that people felt they could do that.
Joe Ramirez from Martinez, who was taking BART from the Lafayette Station to San Francisco on Thursday, shared that he recently moved back to the Bay Area from New York and frequently uses BART.
He agreed that some people are fearful of crime and avoid riding BART.
"My mom, she refuses to take BART, she fears she’s going to be robbed! My family too, they try to avoid it if possible," he said.
Franklin emphasized the importance of having more personnel available to respond to incidents and prevent further occurrences.
The increased budget allocation for public safety officers is expected to attract people looking for a career in public safety. Other incentives that BART is using to aggressively recruit new and lateral hires, include a $15,000 hiring bonus.
Alice Wertz is a freelance reporter for KTVU. If you have a story idea, get in touch at alice.wertz@fox.com. Follow Alice on Twitter at @AlicesTake.