Last year, there were more than 80 reports of assaults against Sacramento Regional Transit staff. Now, SacRT’s board is approving an extra $1 million this year to hire more security staff.
Transit ambassadors who check to make sure passengers purchase tickets and issue citations for fare evasion say they’ve been in some risky situations.
“I’ve been assaulted, spit on. It’s a tough job because when they see us, they see a badge,” said Brandon Gibson, SacRT’s lead transit ambassador.
Last June, a transit ambassador fatally stabbed a 16-year-old boy during an altercation at a light rail station in what was determined to be self-defense.
SacRT says the additional funding will go toward hiring 10 additional ambassadors, bringing the total to 50.
“The goal with the addition of more transit ambassadors is to try to put security personnel on each and every train,” said SacRT Security Chief Lisa Hinz.
The additional funding will also pay for two more people to staff the security operations center 24 hours a day, which monitors a network of 2,000 cameras on buses, trains and light rail stations.
The extra security comes just as the Sacramento Police Department plans on pulling a dozen officers that had been assigned to RT due to staffing shortages.
“Obviously, there are major concerns once you pull the police force,” said transit union president Crystal Lee McGee.
SacRT said the sheriff’s department will help fill those vacant positions.
Just last week, regional transit used a new law for the first time to get a permanent restraining order against a passenger who they say was threatening staff, preventing him from coming within 50 yards of SacRT employees or facilities.
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