UPDATE: We got our hands on 2001 SFPD General Order for BIP (that’s Bus Inspection Program), which lays out what Muni’s supposed to be getting for their millions of bucks a year. Check it out:
The following procedures shall be followed when conducting bus inspections:
1. Each officer assigned to a radio car in a Patrol Division field assignment shall make two inspections per shift (e.g., a two-person radio car would inspect four buses).
2. Each officer assigned to a foot beat in a Patrol Division field assignment shall make: four inspections per shift.
3. Recruit officers, with Field Training Officers, shall be assigned for one full tour of duty, per phase, to exclusively ride Muni Transit within their district. Officers so assigned shall perform a BIP for every line traveled.
4. Each sergeant in a Patrol Division field assignment shall make two inspections per shift.
5. Bus inspections are “10-8” assignments.
6. The officer shall: broadcast a “903” to Dispatch when boarding a bus, state the Municipal Railway line#, the bus #, and direction of travel (inbound or outbound); and, when exiting the bus, inform Dispatch that they are “clear” of the “903.”
7. While the bus is in transit, the officer will complete: a Muni contact slip including the driver’s name and cap #. The officer shall inspect the bus for irregularities and take appropriate enforcement action for any violation.
8. It is expected that officers will be travelling on the bus for approximately five blocks on each visit.
9. If’ working with a radio car partner, the officer will exit the bus and rejoin his/her partner, who has followed the bus while in transit. If an officer is working alone, the officer can return to his/her vehicle by bus or walk the distance.
10. At the end of their shift,officers shall tum in all contact slips and unit CAD histories.
11. Any officer failing to comply with the minimums of this order as outlined in #1,#2,#3 shall prepare a memorandum to their commanding officer, prior to end of watch, as to why they were unable to meet the minimum standards of this order.
12. Units shall maintain their own contact slips for potential future audit.
13. Sergeants are to maintain constant radio contact with field units and review unit history printouts to ensure compliance. If necessary, sergeants shall direct officers to bus lines that experience more policing needs, determine most suitable times and prevent priority assignments from accumulating. Lieutenants are to ensure that each officer assigned to the field has completed two bus inspections during the tour of duty and review Muni contact slips for accuracy.
14. Commanding officers shall compile BlP statistics on the BIP Statistics Form and forward them to the Commanding Officer of the Crime Prevention Company each Monday morning, The Commanding Officer of CPC shall ensure that these statistics are distributed at the monthly Muni policing meeting.
This year, Muni reluctantly agreed to give $12 million to the SFPD to provide “police services” (that is, cops riding the bus). With that price tag rasing to 19M this year, Supervisor Bevan Dufty called shenanigans, saying that neither he nor anyone he knows has seen any SFPD officers on Muni.
We have calls out to Dufty, but even before we talk to him, we gotta know: have you ever seen a cop working the bus? If so, give us details in the comments!
