BART Changes
BART Set to Hire Civilian Social Workers Instead of Filling Police Officer Positions to Deal with Social Problems
Speaker
- Armando Sandoval, BART Police Department Supervisor of Crisis Intervention and Community Outreach Programs
Summary
Armando Sandoval has over 30 years of experience working with law enforcement, the criminal justice system, and the mental health field and community. Over 15 years of those years include experience as a CIT instructor and working with the BART Police for 9 years. The scope of his role was to provide direct supervision and support in the field and training to Ambassadors, Outreach Specialists, and BART officers. He also provided direct outreach and support resources to vulnerable populations that needed assistance (Homeless, Mentally Ill, Dual Diagnosed, Drug Dependent, Youth, and Elderly). As a supervisor, he was responsible for leading, managing, and being instrumental in coordinating outreach and communication efforts between BART PD, District personnel, riders, and the community it supported while working in partnership with mental health, public health stakeholders, and the criminal justice system. He has supported NAMI for over 30 years.
Armando shared the planning process that led to BART’s decision to hire Social Workers and Community Ambassadors to better support individuals living with mental illness. BART planned to use nearly $2 million budgeted to fill six police officer positions to hire social work-trained civilians to respond to homelessness, mental illness, and drug addiction that plagued the train system. The plan introduced Friday was to pair a civilian with an officer who could stand by in case law enforcement was needed.
