Description

As assaults on transit workers increase for agencies across the country, we've assembled a panel of experts to examine the situation and explore effective strategies for reduction. Join us for a webinar to hear Ed English of ELERTS and Andrew Cassidy of Boston MBTA discuss the following:

What are transit worker assaults?

Why do assaults happen?

How do they happen? 

How can my agency better leverage the riders to raise concerns before escalation can occur?

Ed English is CEO at ELERTS, maker of the "See Say" incident reporting platform that engages the public and transit employees to report safety and security concerns. Ed oversees the direction of See Say with the goal that transit agency technologies, such as fare payment apps, AVL, and live-look-in cameras are integrated to maximize situational awareness. Prior to ELERTS, Ed served as CEO of interMute, an anti- spyware company. Ed has a computer science degree from Boston College and he began his career programming iconic video games like Frogger for the Atari 2600 and computer chess.

 ede@elerts.com

Andrew Cassidy comes to this webinar with more than 17 years of digital marketing and communications experience in the private and public sectors. Andrew is currently the Senior Director of Digital Strategy and Engagement for the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA), where he plans, directs, and administers the MBTA’s digital presence, as well as hosts its podcast, Spilling the T.

acassidy@mbta.com

Curtis Boyd is a highly accomplished Retired law enforcement professional with 30 years of experience with the PRT (Pittsburgh Regional Transit) Police Department. Throughout his career, Curtis has been committed to building strong relationships with the community he serves and has led the department's community policing program with great success.

Curtis is also a seasoned Crisis Intervention Team Coordinator and has been instrumental in designing and implementing programs that provide support both Law Enforcement professionals and providing resources to individuals experiencing mental health crises. His passion for mental health advocacy has led him to be recognized as Mental Health Advocate of the Year.

In addition to his work in law enforcement, Curtis is a prolific and professional speaker who has presented on topics such as community policing, mental health awareness, and crisis intervention training. He has also created and designed Crisis Awareness Training and De-escalation Training for public employees, which has been widely adopted by organizations across the region.

Curtis’s dedication to service and his commitment to building stronger, safer communities has made him a respected and valued member of both Law Enforcement and the broader transit community.

cboyd@rideprt.com

Don Schneidmiller serves as the Transit Security Manager for Valley Metro. Don joined Valley Metro in June of 2015, overseeing all aspects of security for the light rail system. Don is also involved in new project development to ensure passenger security and safety is incorporated in all project planning, design, and construction activities. Prior to entering the transportation field, Don spent 26 years in law enforcement. He served 21 years with the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office, achieving the rank of Deputy Chief and served 4 years with the City of Surprise Police Department, achieving the rank of Assistant Police Chief. Don has extensive experience in Investigations, Community Policing, Special Event Planning, Narcotics/Vice Investigations and Task Force Management.

Don has a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Arizona State University and a Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership from Northern Arizona University. Don is a graduate of the FBI National Academy and has been published in “Police Chief” magazine. For the past 18 years, Don has also been an adjunct faculty member in the Administration of Justice Studies Program for Chandler Gilbert Community College. Don has also served on a Human Rights Committee for the Arizona Department of Economic Security, Division of Developmental Disabilities.

dschneidmiller@valleymetro.org