‘Safety is our priority’: GRTC launches new safety initiatives

RICHMOND, VA. (WRIC) -- The Greater Richmond Transit Company (GRTC) launched its new Public Safety Officers (PSO) and Public Safety Ambassador (PSA) programs Monday, Jan 3.

“The project is two-fold and the first part of this initiative involves our public safety ambassadors," said Kevin Hernandez, GRTC’s Chief Operating Officer. “They’ll be there to help out passengers. They're also be trained with de-escalation techniques, crisis intervention."

Hernandez said there are six ambassadors who will be walking onto different buses at every station, and they're joined by pubic safety officers.

"These are trained professionals, security professionals that will be there to especially at downtown transfer station, to help out our riders, our staff members," said Hernandez.

Ambassadors will walk around with a first aid kit and Narcan, even receiving training on how to use everything. There is an 8-week training program, Hernandez said.

"One of the things that we see quite often are disruptions that happen on the busses where the operator has to stop the bus and engage with whatever the disruption is, and that they leave a trip to do that, and then that that bus also has to do another trip later," he continued.

Hernandez said this ripple effect is why the program is so important, he said it also comes after several violent incidents on GRTC buses and bus stops within the last year.

"Safety is our priority," Hernandez said.

For more information, visit the Greater Richmond Transit Company’s website.