CA: Sheriff deputies patrol Modesto Transit Center due to increase in assaults, crime

The Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Office began a public safety presence Saturday at the Transit Center in downtown Modesto.

The Sheriff Office’s new agreement with Stanislaus Regional Transit Authority to beef up transit system security ran into opposition from a deputies union Friday.

Randon Kirkbride, president of Stanislaus Sworn Deputies Association, said a meeting was held Tuesday with Sheriff’s Office administrators to discuss the new responsibilities for deputies. A law firm representing the union advised deputies not to speak further with media outlets about the labor issues, Kirkbride said.

County supervisors approved the agreement with StanRTA on July 22 because of an increase in misconduct and other incidents, which caused the transit authority to reconsider its use of private security guards. The unarmed guards are not able to make arrests and are limited in their ability to handle criminal incidents, officials said.

StanRTA has 27 bus routes serving the county, its nine cities and smaller towns, generating about 3 million passenger trips per year.

The Sheriff’s Office said two deputies will work in coordination with private security at the Modesto Transit Center to create a safer environment. Deputies will respond to misconduct and criminal activity at the transit terminal and aboard buses.

Adam Barth, chief executive officer of StanRTA, said the agency has seen an uptick in fights, assaults and predators on board buses, as well as incidents at the Transit Center. Barth said private security was limited in what it can do.

“That is why we did this,” Barth said. “We heard from riders and drivers that private security were not prepared to handle the incidents that were happening. The Sheriff’s Department was on board (with a safety agreement), so that is why we contracted with them.”

Barth worked for Modesto Area Express for several years before the Modesto and county transit systems were consolidated under StanRTA in 2021. “The number of incidents that I am seeing has dramatically increased over the last couple of years,” Barth said. “We are not alone. Transportation systems nationwide are seeing an uptick.”

According to paperwork for the agreement, one deputy will work during the busiest times for ridership, late morning to evening, Monday through Thursday, and a second will be assigned Wednesday through Saturday.

Deputies assigned to the Transit Center could deal with sex offenders and human-trafficking activities, prevent theft, maintain public order and enforce laws, ordinances and safety regulations. The Sheriff’s Office said the deputies also will be involved with activities such as public safety education, bus safety programs, crime prevention, traffic safety and public transit advocacy.

The transit authority is expected to fund the agreement, costing an estimated $479,000 the first year. With the agreement, the Sheriff’s Office will add two deputy positions for patrol operations.

The president of the sworn deputies union said Friday the department should prioritize filling vacancies in the ranks rather than take on new responsibilities at a center that’s a few blocks from Modesto Police Department. The agreement with StanRTA raises issues of staffing and overtime costs and the difficulty of responding to incidents on bus routes anywhere in the county, Kirkbride said.

Some people posting comments on social media questioned the use of sheriff deputies at a transit center inside the city of Modesto. One noted that Modesto police reserves handled calls at the center in the 1990s. Another comment suggested the Sheriff’s Office assign reserve deputies to the transit system.

In a Facebook post, StanRTA driver Roy Spears supported the enhanced security: “We definitely needed some serious help. Just their presence has made a huge difference.”

He said things have “gotten out of hand” at the Transit Center with gangs, drugs and criminals preying on people. He said he has been punched, kicked and spit upon while working as a driver. “I have seen some bad stuff happen,” Spears said. “I feel safer. I feel like someone now has our back.”