Transit Safety Officers
Public safety is ABQ RIDE’s top priority. In order to keep transit riders and infrastructure safe, ABQ RIDE and the Albuquerque Police Department (APD) created a dedicated team in 2023 of transit safety officers (TSOs).
TSOs are the transit system’s primary safety partners who enforce the Rules to Ride, keep people safe, and patrol transit corridors. They even conduct life-saving measures, help educate the public on local resources, and build community as a known and trusted safety presence. Having a dedicated transit safety team provides a direct line to the police and serve as a specialized conduit between APD, the public, and ABQ RIDE.
“Our mission is to provide clean, safe, reliable transportation, ensuring people can enjoy carefree, smooth rides,” said Transit Deputy Director Bobby Sisneros. “TSOs keep the transit system secure. And while they are compassionate, they do not tolerate misuse of the transit system, which is a lifeline for Albuquerque’s diverse ridership community.”
In the coming years, the TSO team will grow to a total of 87 as part of the Albuquerque Long-Range Transit Security Plan, which launched in 2025 to reduce safety incidents and improve data reporting.
Apply to Become a Transit Safety Officer
The City of Albuquerque is hiring TSOs. It is a great career path to becoming a sworn officer with exposure to policing work and professional networking. The transit safety pipeline program advances employees from police service aide to transit safety officer to sworn police officer positions.
Visit the APD website to learn more about requirements, the selection process, benefits, and salary.
APD Mission
Albuquerque Police Department’s mission is to build relationships, through community policing, that will lead to reduced crime and increased safety.
Core Values
- Integrity
- Fairness
- Pride
- Respect
Transit Safety Team
- APD Commander
- APD Deputy Commander
- APD Sergeants
- APD Transit Safety Officers
- APD Police Service Aides
The transit safety team works in lockstep with ABQ RIDE and is supported by Albuquerque Fire Rescue and Albuquerque Community Safety.
Have a Security Concern?
For emergencies or active situations, please call 911.
For non-emergency security or safety related concerns, please complete this form or use the See Say app. See Say reports go directly to ABQ RIDE’s dispatch team, who can quickly mobilize the appropriate support for your safety.
FAQs
If riders have questions about the transit system, feel unsafe, or want to report an issue, they can approach TSOs for support. The best way to report issues is through the See Say app. If the issue warrants TSO or sworn police support, ABQ RIDE will dispatch the appropriate authority to help you.
Police Service Aides (PSAs) support TSOs. Their role is to ride buses in the Central corridor, which has the highest concentration of ridership in the transit system, to observe and report any issues that take place with a direct line to APD support as needed.
TSOs patrol transit facilities, respond to issues, submit reports, and monitor quadrants around the city. Depending on safety trends, ridership, or where issues crop up, they mobilize to different parts of Albuquerque. This flexible approach allows TSOs to step in where they are most needed.
TSOs are equipped with protective equipment, but since they are not sworn officers, they do not carry firearms.
TSOs cannot make arrests.