BART, San Francisco boost police presence at Civic Center Station

Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) and San Francisco police departments are partnering  to boost safety and public health at the Civic Center Station.

Under the plan, the San Francisco Police Department will provide an extra 290 officer-hours each week to patrol the station area — a more than fourfold increase from existing levels, BART officials said in a press release.

For its part, BART will increase patrol staffing levels by 78 hours a week, marking a 30 percent increase above current levels.

"Since taking the lead of the BART Police Department a year ago, I have made boosting the visible presence of our officers a top priority," said BART Police Chief Carlos Rojas. "We think the ongoing efforts of our officers combined with this boost from the San Francisco Police Department will make a big impact on public safety that will be noticed by our riders."

The agency also has installed a new syringe disposal kiosk at the United Nations Plaza near the Civic Center Station's entrance.