San Diego – Bill Burke, the chief of police for the San Diego Metropolitan Transit System (MTS), passed away today of unknown causes. He was 68 years old. Burke started with MTS in 2001, was promoted to director of security in 2004 and became its first chief of police in 2011. Prior to working with MTS, Burke was the chief of police for the Cook County Sheriff’s Department in Chicago, Ill.
“Bill will be missed greatly at MTS,” said Paul Jablonski, chief executive officer of MTS. “He brought many innovations to MTS and helped our system become one of the safest in the nation. More than that, Bill was a gentleman who earned respect from every one of his colleagues. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his friends and family.”
Burke was responsible for several significant improvements to the MTS system, including:
- Closed-circuit TV at Trolley stations
- On-board cameras on Trolleys and buses
- Body cameras on code compliance inspectors
- Initiation of TSA-trained canine teams for MTS
- Close working relationships with all local law enforcement agencies, TSA and Homeland Security
- Development of the local See Something, Say Something campaign
Burke is survived by his wife Janice, three children and five grandchildren. Effective immediately, Deputy Director of Transit Security Manuel Guaderrama was named the acting director of security for MTS.
About MTS
MTS operates 95 bus routes and three Trolley lines on 53 miles of double-tracked railway. Every weekday more than 300,000 passenger trips are taken on MTS bus and Trolley services. For more information on how you can use public transportation and save money, go to www.sdmts.com.
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