Safety is BART's top priority.
Nothing is more important than your safety. We are constantly upgrading and improving our security measures while continuing to deliver the reliable, efficient service riders expect.
To help keep passengers and our employees safe, BART has more than 4,000 working cameras throughout our system and we are working very hard to increase both sworn officers and ambassador presence.
Here are some BART specific safety tips we want our riders to know about:
- Download the free BART Watch App: it lets you send a private text to BART Police dispatch.
- Save the number for BART Police dispatch in your phone 510-464-7000; when you call 911 there is a delay because CHP will need to transfer your call to BART Police dispatch.
- For non-emergency needs you can text BART PD at 510-200-0992.
- Know your train car number: it’s located above the doors on the inside of each end of the train car.
- Secure or hold your phone, laptop, or purse tightly when waiting on a platform or near train car doors while on trains, especially as doors open.
- If someone does grab your phone, laptop or bag, don't risk your personal safety, it's not worth it.
- Be aware of surroundings and avoid looking distracted, especially while standing near stairs, escalators, and train doors and anywhere suspects can make a quick exit.
- Don’t sleep on board train cars.
- The Train Operator is in the first train car; it’s a great place to sit if you are traveling alone.
- You can speak to the Train Operator by using the call button on each train. In old cars the call button is located at the end of the car, on new cars it is located at the side doors.
- If something makes you feel uncomfortable, move to another train car.
- Avoid getting pickpocketed, purses that zip closed are a good option in crowded places.
How you can help
For many crimes, BART Police may need a witness statement in order to make an arrest or take action if our officer didn't actually see the crime. That means we need you to come forward when our officers board a train asking if someone called police. We may need you to stay and sign a form explaining what criminal behavior you witnessed and that you are willing to press charges.
Preventing sexual harassment and gender based violence
Learn about BART's Not One More Girl initiative which includes policy changes and educational awareness of our efforts to prevent and stop harassment, how to report harassment, and what to expect if you report gender based violence or harassment. We also offer bystander intervention training.
What BART is doing to address the homeless crisis
We understand the homeless crisis and drug epidemic is very concerning to our riders. We've developed this website to share what we are doing to address the problem: www.bart.gov/socialresources
Urgent messes that are safety risk and need immediate cleaning
Riders have a quick and easy option to make a biohazard report using the official BART app or online at www.bart.gov/biohazard (found at the bottom of our homepage). The report will initiate an email and text to BART employees assigned to address the problem. We will make every attempt to intercept the train and clean it mid-route or we will make sure to get it at the end of the line when trash gets picked up.
White courtesy phones and call buttons in stations
Riders can call for assistance or to report an incident by using the white courtesy phones inside stations (some stations have call buttons) that directly connect them with the station’s agent.There are white courtesy phones in the free and paid area of every station’s concourse level, as well as at each end of the platform level at each station. If a station agent is outside of the booth, a chime will sound within the station to alert them that someone is calling from a white courtesy phone.
In addition, every station has at least one pay phone in the free area and at least one pay phone in the paid area where riders can call 9-1-1 at no charge. A 9-1-1 call made from pay phones at the 4 downtown San Francisco stations will connect directly to SFPD dispatch. A 9-1-1 call made from any other station pay phone will connect to BART police dispatch.
BART Police information, crime data and policies
Get crime data, learn how to file a report, read about police policies and get information about our $15,000 hiring bonus to help fill vacancies here.
Protect your phone
Electronic thefts continue to be a problem at BART and we encourage riders to be aware of surroundings especially near train doors and while waiting on the platform. Put your device away or at least secure it when approaching stops. Phones down, eyes up.
We have posters on board our trains, we hand out flyers, and make frequent overhead announcements to remind riders to protect their devices.
Cellphone snatching can happen very quickly. We are sharing this video to show how quickly someone can steal a phone and exit a train.
¡Proteja su teléfono!
#RideSafe
Want to share our rider tips with your friends and family? Save these photos to your device and share them on social media:
