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BART
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Everyone sees you, but nobody cares
BART has launched a new app that'll let riders immediately report crimes in real-time and even upload photos of miscreants throughout the transit agency.
BART says it's responding to demands from riders for a silent and discreet way to report crimes to BART police while they're on a train or in a station. So here it is, by popular demand:
BART Watch.
“The BART Watch app will be free for BART riders to download from our website or they can go directly to the Apple App Store or Google Play,” said BART Police Chief Kenton Rainey. “This new technology will allow us to partner with our riders so they can 'See Something, Say Something,' and help us keep the system safer and more secure."
Once you download the app, you can begin your anonymous snitching by sending a text message with a description of the incident with a photo of said crime to BART police. There's also a "one tap" button that will connect you with BART Police by phone.
There are fancy pull-down menus that will let riders choose the kind of crime they'd like to report, including Crime in Progress (public defecation), Illegally Parked Vehicle, Disruptive Behavior, Robbery/Theft, Unattended Bag or Package, and Vandalism.
Reports go directly to BART Police dispatch and are prioritized by order of importance.
In addition, the app lets BART police send messages to its riders about emergencies, such as a lost child or unusually strange scents.
Here's the chief giving the
breakdown on this new app:
