Along with more than 100 Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) groups, business leaders, and community activists, the Bay Area Council has officially asked Governor Gavin Newsom to send the California Highway Patrol (CHP) to patrol the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) system.
The request comes after a string of violent attacks, including a recent stabbing that almost killed someone and the tragic death of an Asian American woman who was pushed into a train earlier this year.
In a letter to Gov. Newsom, coalition members stressed how important it was to have more police on BART, citing widespread fear among riders.
“There can’t be any room for crime on BART,” said Jim Wunderman, President and CEO of the Bay Area Council. “Bold and immediate action can help restore public confidence in BART and encourage riders to return.”
Mark Young, co-founder of Stand With Asians, talked about how vulnerable the AAPI community is. The AAPI community makes up 25% of BART riders.
“Deploying more safety patrols is a critical short-term step to restore safety and trust while working toward lasting solutions,” he stated.
AAPI riders are especially likely to avoid BART because they are afraid of being hurt, according to polls by the Bay Area Council.
Even though safety has been improved recently, officials say that the transit system needs more money to handle the growing problems.
Even though the total number of violent crimes has gone down since the pandemic, the rate of incidents per rider is still almost twice as high as it was before COVID. This shows that more safety measures are needed.
