According to Hoodline San Francisco, the Bay Area Rapid Transit is reporting that crime across its system has dropped 41% following the installation of 715 “Next Generation” fare gates, which were completed in August of 2025, as well as an increase in BART Police Department’s visible presence. However, experts want to see whether BART will regularly publish data on the impact of the gates or explore non-police responses as an alternative. The article cites the Center for Policing Equity’s 2025 report analyzing BART’s enforcement strategies prior to the installation of the gates:
Critics are not convinced that more cops and tougher fare gates are the whole story. In a May 2025 report, the Yale‑based Center for Policing Equity argued that “the current approach to fare enforcement within BART not only overstates the financial impacts of fare evasion but also lacks a cohesive strategy to address its underlying issues,” urging the system to expand non‑police responses. The full report is available from the Center for Policing Equity.
Read the article on the Hoodline’s website.