FORECAST IN A FEW MINUTES. >> THANKS, KARI. >>> 6:34 RIGHT NOW. B.A.R.T. THIS MORNING IS MAKING A NEW PUSH TO ASSURE RIDERS THEY DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT SAFETY ON B.A.R.T. TRAINS. IT COMES AS THE AGENCY STRUGGLES WITH BRINGING RIDERSHIP LEVELS BACK FROM THE DEPTHS OF THE PANDEMIC. GINGER CONEJERO SAAB IS LIVE THIS MORNING, AND WHAT'S THE MESSAGE THAT YOU'RE HEARING FROM B.A.R.T. LEADERS THIS MORNING? >> Reporter: GOOD MORNING, LAURA. WELL, IT'S AN INVITE AND A MESSAGE FOR PASSENGERS TO COME BACK ON B.A.R.T.'S TRAINS, FEELING MORE SAFE AND MORE SECURE THAN THEY DID PRE-PANDEMIC. YOU CAN ACTUALLY SEE SOME OF THE B.A.R.T. LEADERSHIP HERE ON THE PLATFORM WITH US, BUT THEY MADE A BIG ANNOUNCEMENT THIS MORNING THAT OVER 250 ARRESTS WERE MADE IN THE MONTH OF MARCH, OVER 260 ARRESTS IN THE MONTH OF APRIL. THESE ARE THE BIGGEST NUMBERS THEY'VE MADE AS FAR AS ARRESTS GO SINCE THE PANDEMIC BEGAN. NOT ONLY WILL THERE BE MORE POLICE PATROLLING THE TRAINS, THEY SAY THERE WILL ALSO BE A HOST OF OTHER CIVILIAN OFFICERS AND CRISIS MANAGEMENT OFFICERS ON FOOT AROUND THE STATIONS. ALL THIS IS IN RESPONSE TO CONTINUING CALLS FOR MORE SAFETY FROM PASSENGERS. A POLL FROM THE BAY AREA COUNCIL REPORTED 78% OF PASSENGERS WOULD ALSO RIDE MORE IF B.A.R.T. WAS CLEANER. 90% OF THOSE POLLED SAID B.A.R.T. SHOULD PRIORITIZE CLEANING STATIONS AND TRAINS, 62% SAID B.A.R.T. SHOULD IMPROVE FARE GATES AND 79% SAID THEY WOULD FEEL MORE COMFORTABLE WITH UNIFORMED POLICE OR SECURITY IS ALSO ONBOARD. >> IT'S NOT JUST WITH MY B.A.R.T. HAT ON, AND I WANT TO DO ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING I CAN TO MAKE SURE THAT INCIDENTS DON'T HAPPEN ON B.A.R.T. AND IT TAKES A LOT OF COOPERATION. >> I DON'T DENY THAT PEOPLE HAVE A PERCEPTION OF A LACK OF SAFETY RIGHT NOW. WHAT OUR DEPLOYMENT IS DOING IS TRYING TO CHANGE THAT PERCEPTION. THE VAST MAJORITY OF PEOPLE WHO COME TO B.A.R.T. TO RIDE THE TRAIN HAVE A VERY GOOD EXPERIENCE ON THEIR TRIP, BUT THERE ARE ISOLATED INCIDENTS THAT OCCUR IN THE SYSTEM THAT WE'RE WORKING VERY HARD TO ADDRESS THOSE. >> Reporter: YOU HEARD THERE BOTH FROM BART BOARD PRESIDENT JANICE LI FIRST AND THEN INTERIM POLICE CHIEF KEVIN FRANKLIN. THEY'RE STILL ON THE PLATFORM NOW TAKING QUESTIONS FROM MEMBERS OF THE PRESS AND THE BIG MESSAGE TODAY IS THEY ARE HARD AT WORK TO MAKE PASSENGERS FEEL MORE SECURE, BUT THEIR WORK IS NOT DONE. THERE ARE STILL A NUMBER OF VACANCIES FOR B.A.R.T. POLICE OFFICERS. CHIEF FRANKLIN ANNOUNCING THAT HE DOES HAVE MORE THAN 30 VACANCIES HE'S READY TO FILL. HE SAYS THIS IS ALSO AN OPPORTUNITY FOR HIM TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO GO OUT FOR THOSE JOBS AS THEY REALLY WANT TO RE-BRAND B.A.R.T. FOR I
