ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — ABQ Ride is partnering with APD and other departments to address public safety and make sure people feel safe using public buses. One of those new initiatives is the launch of the Transit Safety Force APD created for them.

Both departments are looking for more transit security officers. Those are the officers people will see on buses and at popular stops along Central. Both departments said they have already identified some issues and they are ready to get to work.

“It seems like the largest concern is drug use in and around our transit platforms which may deter ridership,” said Gerard Bartlett, a commander with the Albuquerque Police Department.

For the past couple of years, ABQ Ride has been doing research to find out what has been happening on city buses and how they can increase safety for riders.

“Most of the data indicates that incidents are occurring off of the bus anyway so we have them at the ART platforms, up and down the different shelters, they are talking with different businesses that may have some concerns,” said Bobby Sisneros, the deputy director for ABQ Ride.

The two departments will host a joint job fair from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday at the Ken Sanchez Transit Facility.

Applicants should have a high school education or GED and two years of security or customer service experience,

“We are hoping to fill all positions which is 25 total, right now we have three officers. We have them helping us out on our busiest corridor, which is Central Avenue, and what we are trying to do is a lot of proactive work,” Sisneros said.

In addition to people, they are also relying on technology to help fill in the gaps.

“Right now, we do coordinate with our Real Time Crime Center and with the City of Albuquerque transit, so our transit safety officers have the ability to monitor live feeds inside the buses and they have the ability to monitor surveillance cameras that are at our transit stops,” said Commander Bartlett.

Those who are interviewed and selected to be transit security officers will go through APD’s academy for transit safety officers. Then they will have to complete five weeks of on-the-job training.