SFBART Police Criticized for Limited Public Log Information

A recent social media post has drawn attention to the perceived lack of detail in the police logs released by the San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) Police Department (BPD). The tweet, from an account named "Bart Fare Evaders" and directed at BART Chief Communications Officer Alicia Trost and BART Board Director Mark Foley, claims that the logs provide minimal information, specifically citing California Penal Code (PC) codes, instances of deceased persons on BART property, and Narcan administration by officers.

"The only information BPD releases in its police log is: The Calif PC code & name of an adult arrested, A person pronounced deceased on BART property, A BPD or CIS officer administers Narcan," stated the "Bart Fare Evaders" account.

This criticism echoes past concerns regarding BART's transparency in crime reporting. In 2017, BART faced significant backlash for replacing its detailed daily crime log with a less informative online mapping system, CrimeMapping.com. Following public and media pressure, the agency reinstated the daily email log, which was intended to offer more narrative detail on incidents.

Alicia Trost, as BART's Chief Communications Officer, plays a key role in managing the agency's public information strategy, including police reports. Mark Foley is a member of the BART Board of Directors, representing District 2. Both individuals are central to policy and communication decisions within the transit system.

BART Police currently provides several avenues for crime data, including a daily crime log email, data shared with CrimeMapping.com, and monthly reports from the police chief. Recent reports from 2025 indicate that BART PD has transitioned to the National Incident Based Reporting System (NIBRS), which is designed to capture more comprehensive details about criminal incidents compared to the previous Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) system. This transition theoretically allows for more granular data, though the extent of public release remains a point of contention.

The mention of Narcan administration highlights the broader public health challenges, including opioid use, that transit systems like BART often encounter. Police departments across the nation have equipped officers with Narcan (naloxone) to combat opioid overdoses, reflecting a public safety response to a critical health issue. The tweet implies that while this information is released, it is one of only a few specific details provided in the logs.