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Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) is seeking 35 additional transit police officers to patrol its system.  The current authorization is 200 officers, although only 177 of the slots have been filled. The increase in the DART police force will cost the agency an additional $1.5 million for the first year.  This is on top of the $1.25 million that was authorized last year to increase the transit police force from 170 to 200 officers. In 2007 there were 395 reported crimes against persons and 834 crimes against property on DART vehicles or around its facilities.  Through May of this year the number of crimes against persons was down slightly, whilst the crimes against property were about the same as in 2007.Many of the incidents happen on the light rail trains or at the stations.  Most of them happen at night or on the weekend, but there are a numerous incidents during the day.  Surveys have shown that most people who commute on the light rail system feel safe during regular commuter hours, but many indicated that they would not ride the trains after hours or on the weekends.  In Dallas, at least, there is little crime on the buses because the driver can keep a watch on the passengers.  But on the trains the driver is isolated.  While he or she can observe what is going on in the first unit, at least its forward section, he does not have a clue what is going on in the second or third unit.  It is relatively easy for the bad guys to get on the second or third unit, wreak havoc, and be off the train before anyone is the wiser.  DART is installing cameras on the light rail cars, but many of the bad guys know how to mask them while misbehaving.   Crime is one of the aspects of public transit, especially rail, which its enthusiasts overlook.  The chance of being attacked on public transit in Dallas is probably no greater than being assaulted in some of the city's high crime areas.  But many middle class people will not ride the train because of the perception of crime.   Dallas has had the highest crime rate of any city with a population of more than one million for  eight years running.  So the need for more transit cops comes as no surprise to this former resident.
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