Dive Brief:
- U.S. Rep. Lateefah Simon, D-Calif., announced legislation to provide federal grants for transit ambassadors trained to deter low-level incidents and reduce conflicts on public transit property.
- The ambassadors would enhance public safety by providing a visible, non-enforcement presence, freeing up law enforcement officers, according to a news release.
- The bill, with 13 Democratic co-sponsors representing eight states, was referred by the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure to the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit.
Dive Insight:
Although assaults on public transportation nationwide grew sharply from 2020 to 2022, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, crime has declined on transit systems in New York City, Washington, D.C., Philadelphia and the San Francisco Bay Area in recent years.
In both D.C. and New York City, law enforcement stepped up its presence on buses and trains and in stations. San Francisco’s Bay Area Rapid Transit system also increased officer presence and added transit ambassadors, crisis intervention specialists and other unarmed professionals.
Simon was board director at BART in 2020 when TransitCenter awarded the agency’s ambassador program for innovation in public safety. The proposed legislation resulted from her work on that program, she said in a news release.
“I am dedicated to bringing this proven public safety model to the rest of the country,” Simon said in a statement. “Strengthening safety on transit benefits us all and helps ensure our public transportation systems remain places of opportunity, dignity, and trust.”
The Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO, endorsed the legislation. “A visible security presence is one of the most effective ways to deter assaults and protect both workers and riders,” Chris Avila, Transport Workers Union, California state conference chairperson, said in a statement. “We need urgent action from all levels of government and from employers to keep transportation workers, riders, and passengers safe.”
Simon also said that hiring transit support specialists helps workforce development and creates stable jobs in local communities.
“Safety is about more than enforcement. It’s about presence, partnership, and creating an environment where all riders feel comfortable using BART,” the agency’s police chief, Kevin Franklin, said in a statement. “The combined efforts of our officers and non-sworn staff are ensuring we are doing all we can to make BART welcoming for all.”
