BART approves new safety measures and guidelines for using them

ORINDA, Calif. (KGO) -- The BART board says it was trying to beef up both safety and privacy by unanimously approving a package of new security measures to be installed in the coming years, along with guidelines for how they can be used and how long the data can be kept.

Deputy BART Police Chief Lance Haight says, "The police department is working with BART IT, mechanical and engineering-- we're all working together to bring these things together."

One of those things is a mobile app that will help riders find the closest BART station. It will require your location to do so.

BART also plans to add to the 4,000 cameras they already have, and upgrade them all to digital to deter criminals before they act, and catch those they can't stop.

Cameras helped police catch the man charged with murdering Nia Wilson back in July. BART board president Robert Raburn says that incident provided urgency to what they were doing.

"Sometimes it takes a tragedy in order focus attention," he said.

There would also be video monitors at the station gates so that passengers can see what's happening on the platform. As well as emergency phones that will be installed so that passengers can talk directly to police dispatchers.

All of it was drafted with the help of privacy advocates.