Report a crime or suspicious activity on BART
Protect yourself on and around BART
Commend or make a complaint about alleged misconduct by a BPD employee
Inquire about careers with the BART Police Department
General Orders, Policies and Procedures
Report a crime or suspicious activity on BART
Depending where you are, there are several different options in reporting criminal or suspicious activity. The following will list your options on how to report these matters to the BART Police:
On a BART train:
- If you have cell phone coverage, call BART Police at 510-464-7000 or toll-free at 877.679.7000.
- Use the BART Watch App, a free mobile app for both iOS and Android that allows you to quickly and discreetly report criminal or suspicious activity directly to BART Police. Use BART Watch to send a text description of what you're seeing, attach a picture and select from a list of locations and categories to assist BART Police in their response. Reports can be anonymous. The app is also available in Spanish and Chinese.
- For non-emergency needs you can text BART PD at 510-200-0992.
- You may also use the train intercom located at the ends of each train car. On BART to Antioch trains, the intercom buttons are located next to the entrance/exit doors. This will allow you to make your report to the train operator who will forward the information to the police department's communications center.
- In a BART station: Contact a Police Officer or Station Agent. You may contact the Agent either in person, or you may use a white courtesy phone. Several of these phones are located throughout the station, including on the platforms.
- Please note that calling 9-1-1 may go to CHP first. You can always call BART Police at 510-464-7000.
In a station parking lot or off BART property:
- Contact a BART Police Officer or Community Service Officer who patrol BART parking lots.
- BART parking lots are equipped with emergency phones. These phones are located throughout the parking lots and are mounted on light standards. Blue signs and blue strobe lights are posted where the phones are located. The phones go directly to the Police Department's Communications Center.
- If you have cell phone coverage, call BART Police at 510-464-7000 or toll-free at 877.679.7000.
BART Watch App:
BART Watch is a free mobile app for both iOS and Android that allows you to quickly and discreetly report criminal or suspicious activity directly to BART Police. Use BART Watch to send a text description of what you're seeing, attach a picture and select from a list of locations and categories to assist BART Police in their response. Reports can be anonymous. The app is also available in Spanish and Chinese. The app can be downloaded from Google Play and the App Store for iOS.
BART PD is headquartered at 101 8th Street Oakland, CA 94607.
File a Report
If you have been a victim of a crime while using BART and would like to file a non-emergency police report with the BART Police Department please contact 510-464-7000.
Pay A Citation
1) Pay the citation by mail or going to: www.citationprocessingcenter.com. If you make payment by mail, send the proper amount of penalty in money order or check, payable to BART. Do not send cash. Enclose the notice of parking violation with your payment and/or proof of correction(s). Write your citation number on your payment.Mail to:
BART
Citation Processing Center
P.O. Box 10479
Newport Beach, CA 92658 - 0479
2) Contest the citation by submitting a written appeal at www.citationprocessingcenter.com or mail your appeal with any supporting information to the address noted above. Your payment or appeal must be received within 21 days of the citation date. Submitted documents will not be returned.
Ignoring the time limits shall result in immediate action in the form of additional penalties and an eventual lien hold being placed on your vehicle registration with the Department of Motor Vehicles. Vehicles with 5 or more citations will be impounded or immobilized pursuant to California Vehicle Code Section 22651(i)(1) and 22651.7.
Note: CVC sections 4000(a)(1), 5200, and 5204 require vehicle inspection and evidence of violation correction. Evidence of correction may be obtained at any police agency during regular business hours. If corrected, bail on these violations is reduced to $10.00 per violation. Valid proof of each correction and $10.00 per corrected violation must be received within 21 days of the citation date or penalties will accrue.
You can locate lost or misplaced tickets by visiting www.citationprocessingcenter.com.
Protect yourself on and around BART
Safety Tips
Protecting Your Vehicle
Keeping An Eye Out For Suspicious Behavior
Commend or make a complaint about alleged misconduct by a BPD employee
BART Police Department Policy 1020 "Internal Investigation of Allegations of Misconduct" is in place so that citizens can make inquiries or complaints about alleged misconduct by any BART Police Department employee, or submit a commendation.
To commend an employee, you may use the following form:
Commendation Form in English.pdf
Commendation Form in Korean.pdf
Commendation Form in Spanish.pdf
Commendation Form in Vietnamese.pdf
Commendation Form in Chinese.pdf
If you have a complaint against a member of the BART Police Department, you may use the following form to submit it:
Complaint Form in Vietnamese.pdf
You may also email Internal Affairs at [email protected] or call 510-464-7029.
Inquire about careers with the BART Police Department
Those interested in careers and job openings with the BART police should visit our employment page. For further information, contact the Police Department's Personnel and Training section at 510.464.7073. For all BART openings visit www.bart.gov.jobs
Obtain a Law Enforcement Pass
The Law Enforcement Security Enhancement Program (LESEP) came about as a result of BART's Inter-Departmental Task Force on Fare Evasion in an effort to reduce Fare Evasion in the BART System, which is a major problem. LESEP is part of our strategy to reduce these losses by providing authorized, secured BART system access to active, full-time, sworn Officers and District Attorney Investigators from pre-authorized SF Bay Area Law Enforcement Agencies. As part of LESEP, authorized Officers will receive BART ID cards also known as LEO passes, which allow BART riding privileges. Note: These passes are ONLY valid for BART trains.
To be eligible, a Peace Officer must have the authority to carry a firearm while off-duty AND be employed with one of the participating agencies. For more information on how to apply for the pass and to see the list of participating agencies, click the LESEP details link below.
Download the LESEP Details Brochure (.pdf)
General Orders, Policies and Procedures
The "Policies and Procedures Manual" contains the operational orders established by the Police Department to maintain the safety of our employees while we provide public safety and police services to our stakeholders.
Bay Area Rapid Transit Police Department Policy Manual
Property and Evidence
The BART Police Department Property Unit is considered the custodian of all items collected by Department personnel or submitted to the department as items for safekeeping, items collected as evidence or items to be destroyed. They are also responsible for the proper storage, preservation and lawful release or dispositions of property.
Property Release
Property is released BY APPOINTMENT ONLY, Monday through Friday, between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. Valid identification is required at time of pick up.
Safekeeping property MUST be claimed within sixty (60) days, or it will be disposed of in accordance with section 2080.10 of the California Civil Code. Any property NOT claimed within sixty days of the date it was received by the BART Police Department will no longer be available for release. If you are unable to claim the property within the sixty-day time period, you may give written authorization to another person on your behalf but must coordinate with the Property and Evidence Unit first. In the event that you are incarcerated or otherwise unable to retrieve the property yourself or with assistance, you may make a WRITTEN REQUEST for the department to hold your property for an additional ten (10) months.
All written requests can be mailed with attention to:
Property & Evidence Unit
BART Police Department
101 8th Street
Oakland, Ca 94607
The Property & Evidence Unit can be reached at (510) 464-7037, Monday through Friday, except for holidays observed. If we are away from the phone, please leave a detailed voicemail including your name, date of birth, phone number or email address, and case number.
Holidays Observed:
New Year’s Day (January 1st)
Memorial Day (last Monday in May)
Independence Day (July 4th)
Labor Day (1st Monday in September)
Columbus Day (2nd Monday in October - Federal government observed day)
Veteran’s Day (Federal government observed day)
Thanksgiving Day (4th Thursday in November)
Day after Thanksgiving (Friday following the 4th Thursday in November)
Christmas Day (December 25th)