Monday, April 30, 2007

BART Police (updated)

After posting my first entry this morning about the questionable characters passengers often encounter on free BART days, I've learned that others actually have experienced similar situations. One reader suggested having the BART police number ready on your cellphone- which I thought was a great idea. A lot of times, if you call the TO during the harrassment, you actually might get yourself into more trouble. But discretely dialing the BART police with your personal phone might be a safer alternative...or you can report someone else being harrassed.

Here is the number for BART police in case you encounter any questionable characters while on BART today. BART POLICE: 877.679.7000

(UPDATED) After a brief exchange with Scott Marshall of Contra Costa Times on 5/1 regarding what best to do in these situations, he recommends the following:

Directly call police communications center, 510-464-7000, but the best way to get help quick is to use the intercom phone on the train.

Just talked with Zone 2's Sgt. Barry Williams. He says you're going to get a much quicker response by using BART's intercom system. You have to decide if it's safe to move to another car. But if you can and pick up the intercom, you go directly to the train operator and you're in contact with the police in seconds.

Describe the people, the behavior, tell them what train you're on and which direction you're traveling. They'll stop the train and investigate. If they can't get to you, they routinely call a local agency (Orinda police, Oakland police, and so forth), who are more than willing to assist another agency (they train for that).

If you call 911, then your call goes directly to the Highway Patrol's Golden Gate Division dispatch center in Vallejo, and then they transfer you to a BART police communications center.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

When using the pushbutton intercom, first, remember the car number. Then remember a description - age, race, gender, shirt and pants color.

Then go to the next car and call it in.

TO's hate these free days - too many troublemakers. Always call them in - either by cell phone or intercom. Don't sweat the schedule, we all know the system is toast.

Anonymous said...

good to know it just isn't me that notices these troublemakers on free days. they make me want to drive on spare the air days.

Yokota Fritz said...

Caltrain also gets a fair number of drunks and idiots on free ride days. No real troublemakers like I'm reading about on BART, just rude people who don't have a clue about how to get along with other people on the train.