Sacramento Regional Transit (SacRT) is investing $1 million to bolster security across its network after workers raised concerns about safety and the need for more support. The move comes after Sacramento police pulled nearly a dozen officers from SacRT, leaving a void in the agency’s law enforcement presence.SacRT says it has five Sacramento County deputies on staff right now and are in the process of hiring and training another four.The approval of additional funding for security was approved during Monday’s board of directors’ meeting, where several SacRT employees voiced their concerns.”I had a person get on the train at Arden and Del Paso with a hammer,” said one light rail operator who went on to say, “Everybody’s on the train, and he has a hammer. My transit ambassador called, they said we don’t have anybody to respond.”Transit ambassadors, responsible for checking fares and assisting passengers, told similar stories to Sac RT leadership. Tamica Atterberry-Scrivans, a transit ambassador, said, “They are coming at us with knives, I’ve seen machetes, I’ve seen guns since I’ve been here.” She added, “We deserve more money because a lot of us don’t feel safe.”The board of directors has approved funding to give TAs a “modest salary increase” as well adding 10 additional transit ambassadors. It’s unclear how much the raise will be as of Wednesday.The million dollars will also go towards hiring two additional staff to monitor over 2,000 security cameras, enhance the presence of uniformed security guards at stations, vehicles and parking lots. SacRT also said the majority of reported incidents involved aggressive verbal disagreements, not physical altercations.A spokesperson also recently confirmed that a Sacramento County court granted a three-year restraining order against an individual with a documented history of verbal aggression toward operators, staff and passengers. The order prohibits the individual from entering SacRT vehicles and requires them to stay a specified distance from facilities and stops.The legal action was made possible due to SB 1417, which was signed into law by Gov. Newsom this year. It expanded the list of transit agencies that can issue prohibition orders against passengers who repeatedly commit certain disruptive or dangerous behavior.See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel
SACRAMENTO, Calif. —
Sacramento Regional Transit (SacRT) is investing $1 million to bolster security across its network after workers raised concerns about safety and the need for more support.
The move comes after Sacramento police pulled nearly a dozen officers from SacRT, leaving a void in the agency’s law enforcement presence.
SacRT says it has five Sacramento County deputies on staff right now and are in the process of hiring and training another four.
The approval of additional funding for security was approved during Monday’s board of directors’ meeting, where several SacRT employees voiced their concerns.
“I had a person get on the train at Arden and Del Paso with a hammer,” said one light rail operator who went on to say, “Everybody’s on the train, and he has a hammer. My transit ambassador called, they said we don’t have anybody to respond.”
Transit ambassadors, responsible for checking fares and assisting passengers, told similar stories to Sac RT leadership. Tamica Atterberry-Scrivans, a transit ambassador, said, “They are coming at us with knives, I’ve seen machetes, I’ve seen guns since I’ve been here.” She added, “We deserve more money because a lot of us don’t feel safe.”
The board of directors has approved funding to give TAs a “modest salary increase” as well adding 10 additional transit ambassadors. It’s unclear how much the raise will be as of Wednesday.
The million dollars will also go towards hiring two additional staff to monitor over 2,000 security cameras, enhance the presence of uniformed security guards at stations, vehicles and parking lots.
SacRT also said the majority of reported incidents involved aggressive verbal disagreements, not physical altercations.
A spokesperson also recently confirmed that a Sacramento County court granted a three-year restraining order against an individual with a documented history of verbal aggression toward operators, staff and passengers.
The order prohibits the individual from entering SacRT vehicles and requires them to stay a specified distance from facilities and stops.
The legal action was made possible due to SB 1417, which was signed into law by Gov. Newsom this year. It expanded the list of transit agencies that can issue prohibition orders against passengers who repeatedly commit certain disruptive or dangerous behavior.
See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel