After taking a lot of crap this year for shutting off cellphones and shooting a guy, the BART Police force is looking to make good this holiday season. In a press release, by way of SFAppeal, BART announces their plans to step up foot patrols around downtown San Francisco and offer escorted walks home from the West Oakland and San Leandro stations.

While the increased foot patrols will be on the lookout for potential gift-nabbers on busy downtown BART platforms during the shopping season, the walks home are only offered tonight, December 15th and tomorrow, December 16th from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Oakland police cadets and BART Community service officers at the West Oakland station will be wearing red "Pedestrian Escort" vests and are available to walk passengers as far as a three block radius from the station.

In San Leandro, on Wednesday, December 21st BART and San Leandro PD officers will offer escorts between the Bay Fair Station and the Bayfair Mall, not too far from that Wal-Mart that saw some Black Friday violence.