This story is an examination of what it is that transit officials do, and it looks at how these two reports will really for the first time give us a peek into the world of transit officials, the procedures that they use as well as the actions that they take. This is pretty critical because, as the country and the State of California grow their transit lines we’re going to continue to see transit officials in the public news. So, it really is critical to begin to look at it a comprehensive way, how transit officials work, that’s what this story is about.
This story doesn’t just talk about BART, it also talks about Muni, and Amtrak and some of the rail lines because there’s no comprehensive information out there, it’s important that we understand what everyone is doing. I was fortunate enough to talk with officials from all of those transit or rail lines, that’s what this story will bring to light.
As the state of California as well as the nation grows their transit lines they really need to begin to think about how they want to have their security forces work. So, for example BART is looking at putting together a citizen’s review board, and in fact, they might be the only transit agency that has a citizen’s review board. So the question becomes, would this be something that would really help our citizens or is this something that we really don’t need? It’s unclear at this point.
BART is a very interesting organization; they are one of the most unique transit agencies in the country. They’re one of the only transit agencies that have its own stand alone police force. The large ones that come to mind is Washington DC’s Metro Line, as well as Philadelphia’s SEPTA System. Additionally, BART also is looking at putting together citizen review board, and it could be the first time that any transit agency has a citizen’s review board for its police department.
Video by: Spot.us vlogger Brian LeBo
Posted by Jennifer Ward on 07/28/09Reporting on “Forthcoming Oscar Grant Shooting Report Will Lift Veil on Transit Police Work“
The BART killing has a myriad of different thick, textured layers to it. As a journalist, you can examine the killing at many different angles, zooming into the obvious issues (race, class, police brutality) or you can grind on detailing the subtleties of the incident. The stories that dig deep, maybe not immediately be familiar, is the tough stuff. These take a long time, and you get a lot of interview turndowns. Especially if you’re a freelancer.
But, that’s how I work, and it’s why I decided to look at the BART cops and their role as transit officers. Despite the fact that California and the rest of the nation is growing a variety of different rail services, little is known about the police officers that handle the security of the rails, trains, and service stations.
With the two upcoming BART police reports that will be compiled by two outside agencies, for the first time, really, we’ll begin to get a picture on an otherwise cloudy subject of rail and transit police officers.
Time will tell, though. As someone who worked for a large state organization, I can attest to the habitual practice of institutions creating a review board—some alleged outside agency, and having them slow poke around and produce a report that will in 90 percent of the cases be met with blessed silence. That silence (from journalists, from citizens, from political leaders) meant that organization would continue its bad practices. I hope these reports are studied with care and will bring real change if it is called for.
But, it’s not a good sign that now at least one of the reports has seen its release deadline pushed back twice. Another won’t see light until close to the fall.
Eventually, the reports will become public and then what happens next is anyone’s guess.
Posted by Jennifer Ward on 07/23/09How much do you know about the work and challenges of the police officers that ride the trains with guns on their side?
After the Oscar Grant shooting, I was struck by how little information exists on this group of police officers that we regularly see on our Muni, BART, and Amtrak trains.
That little comprehensive information exists is in a way not surprising because many commuters have little or no interaction with this group, thus there’s been no pressure for research or reporting on transit police. As California continues to expand its rail lines (thanks in part to incoming Obama money) more and more commuters are likely to come in contact with transit and rail police officers.
How much does it matter that the public know and understand this group?
Well, consider what’s happened after Grant got shot. As a result of the shooting there’s calls for a citizen review board for BART. But, is that the right way to go? Given that there’s little information about transit police work in the public sphere, do we even know how many transit agencies have a review board? How effective are these boards? And given that most crimes committed on transit agency property do not involve murder or serious assaults, how helpful will this board be?
Those are just a few questions that need to be addressed over the next several months, starting with an initial report (already late) from an outside agency hired by BART.
Like everyone else I’m eagerly awaiting the first report.
