These guys are so needed, especially in downtown San Antonio. There are so many times that we see people going down the bus only lanes, or just plain old going down the one way streets. Now granted downtown driving is a bit confusing, what with it's box model and all the one way streets, but puhleeze.
I see the officers on to many occassions harrassing the homeless and blacks in the area. There are no black police officers on the Via transit police force. It is a small police force that is becoming a clik that covers each others mistakes and I forsee trouble ahead for Via in the form of law suits and a public nightmare if they do not get a handle of there officers. The Ellis Alley Park N ride is notorious for Via Transit Police to Harrass the people who pass through there which are mainly the poor blacks of that area. Many are arrrested or threatened with arrest under false pretenses. One female officer in particular is always finding reasons to harrass the locals of that area
ReplyDeleteI cannot agree with you more, Via really needs to investigate there police department.
ReplyDeleteIf you feel you've been harassed, file a complaint, otherwise, why dont you talk to the officers, I've found them to be very helpful and courteous to the people who are riding the bus. If you're just hanging out, selling drugs and making life hard on the working people who use the transit system, then they'll be hard on you.
ReplyDeleteJohn, I am with you! Police only deal with you if you need help but if you draw attention to yourself, you will get the attention you are seeking. Not the officers fault. Ellis Alley is an easy access to vagrants, drunk or sober, doped up or not because it has air/heat and restrooms, water fountain and restrooms. Ellis Alley is well protected by the officers because it needs it.
ReplyDeleteThey need to do away with Transit police and make SAPD run it.
ReplyDeleteYeah, like that will ever happen. SAPD will only treat it like they treat everything else. Minimizing all that is important to the rider and employee of the transit system. I say VIA really needs to beef up its police department. Too many times, I have seen SAPD having to handle Transit Police related incidents. For those of you who think Transit Police police harrasses homeless people, I pose this thought.....If you are abiding by the law, then why would you have to worry about anything when coming in contact with the police? I too have seen Transit Police dealing with vagrants and homeless at the bus stops, but C'MON, those people use the bus stop as a "trick station", or "drug deal hub", or even a permenant residence. GOOD JOB Transit Police. Get those homeless off the bus stops so I can start riding the bus again like I used to before the infestation of homelss and vagrant trash infested the bus stops.
ReplyDeleteSAPD is worthless. They are already taking three hours to show up to call. Now, someone stated they want SAPD to take over. Is that so they can "beat up" bus patrons? Now the question was why are there no black police officers on VIA Transit. Maybe because there are not very many black police officers in the San Antonio area who apply. People do not make sense. They do not want the police departments to be tough on people, until they are victimized. Then all they say is, "they do not do their job."
ReplyDeleteSemper FI
ReplyDeleteWell said sir. Most people don't want anything to do with the police until they are needed. I am a Texas peace office so I know first hand how it is.
ReplyDeleteWhy doesn't Via transit police post their phone number. what good are they if you cannot contact them.
ReplyDelete210-362-2439
ReplyDeleteyou can also call SAPD and they dirrect VIA Transit calls to the Transit Police Department with their new smart call system.
ReplyDeleteThese guys show up quickly when you call them and are very professional and fair when you deal with them. The only down fall is there is not enough of them to run off the problem people at the bus stops who have no intension of even riding the bus. i ride the bus and i thank those officers for their work.
ReplyDeleteTransit police is highly different from the ordinary law enforcer within San Antonio. They are not available for service calls. If you suspect something is stolen from you on the bus notify the operator as soon as noticed. If theft occurred at a transit center, notify the security officer present. If theft is anywhere else on the transit line such as an ordinary bus stop call SAPD, if you do need police assistance at one of the transit locations or on a bus, the operator or security officer there has the capability of reaching out to transit police... What many of you may not be aware of is that transit police does not operate 24/7 and you wouldn't know when or if they are available, only the security would know that and only the security is 24/7. In the event that transit isn't available another agency must be reached. and because of VIA's internal LEA they have enough pull to receive faster services, if transit police IS available they can render service within 5 to 10 minutes, 20 mintues max if stretched instead of waiting an hour an a half for SAPD
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