MARTA has the longest-serving transit police agency in the country certified by CALEA, the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement. The MARTA Police Department is a full-time, full-service agency with more than 300 sworn officers including detectives, uniformed patrol, and explosive detection units, and nearly 50 civilian staff. Even with that complement of officers defending our customers, our law enforcement personnel can’t be everywhere all the time, and we rely on our customers to help be our eyes and ears.
The transit authority also uses a video surveillance system includes behavioral recognition software, an adaptive video technology, to analyze human behavior throughout the system over time and to detect abnormal actions. Adaptive systems learn what is normal or not, and the system adapts to changes due to different conditions, including lighting.
Over the last two-plus years under the leadership of MARTA CEO Keith T. Parker, the agency has worked diligently to change public perceptions. MARTA police, working closely with our CEO and Board of Directors, has secured grants from the Department of Homeland Security and FEMA to make significant investments upgrading the technology and digital eyes of the transit system.
Since the inception of the “Ride With Respect” campaign in 2013, MARTA has suspended approximately 4,900 individuals for engaging in inappropriate behavior. Of that number, there have been 362 arrests for panhandling and 2,500 suspensions for fare evasion.
Customers with smartphones are encouraged to download MARTA’s “See & Say” app from iTunes or Google Play. The app allows customers to covertly take a flashless picture and send a text to MARTA’s police communications center. Once the information is received, an officer is dispatched immediately to the scene.
The authority also recently launched a “Protect Your Property” campaign, with signs in stations, printed materials and electronic messages. The message reminds customers to be aware of their surroundings and property when on the system. Unfortunately, it’s easy for us to become so focused with our phones, tablets and laptops that we become very relaxed in our environment. Our lack of awareness is the perfect place for a perpetrator to casually walk away with our belongings.
In every station, we have blue “Emergency” phones that connect customers to the communications center. In addition, there are call buttons on every train, with the train number listed above the phone. Starting next month, the authority will begin installing cameras on every train; this project is expected to be completed by year’s end. This initiative, currently in the pilot phase, is being tested on six trains throughout the system. This security measure, in addition to cameras on buses and Mobility vans, is another way we are ensuring our customers feel safe.
Even with all this technology, we still encourage our customers to let uniformed officers know if they see anything out of the ordinary. We have plainclothes officers who have been instrumental in stopping crimes ranging from fare evasion to apprehending an alleged serial killer. In addition to preventing crime and other security hazards, MARTA police have provided first aid and comfort for our customers, from senior citizens to young children.
Despite our best efforts, there will be times we can’t catch everything. Ultimately, we want our customers to have a positive rider experience, but we need their help to ensure the ninth-largest transit agency in the country remains one of the safest transit agencies around.
MARTA’s officers are committed to our customers. We value the trust our customers place in feeling safe and secure while traveling with us, and we do all we can daily to earn it.
Wanda Dunham is MARTA’s police chief.
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