Winnipeg transit riders can expect to see more police officers on city buses going forward.
The Winnipeg Police Service announced Wednesday that it’s launching a new targeted safety strategy after numerous incidents on buses and in and around bus shelters.
According to Winnipeg Transit data, a historic high of 325 violent crimes were reported last year, more than triple the numbers recorded in 2019, and the uptick in crime continues this year.
Police said they will have an increased presence, involving both uniformed and plainclothes officers, with the goal of preventing violent crime and keeping transit users safe.
Supt. Brian Miln said officers will be patrolling routes and stops that have been flagged as problem areas.
“We’re going to be targeting people that get on to buses and choose to either perpetrate violence (or) disruptive, anti-social behaviours,” Miln said.
“Those who are getting onto the transit bus with ill intent, you may or may not know if we are in fact there, but if people choose to engage with those sorts of behaviours, we’re going to be there to deal with it.”
Miln said the transit experience is supposed to be a comfortable and safe one for the Winnipeggers who rely on the bus every day.
“This is a right. This isn’t a nice-to-have…. The 99 per cent of people that use transit, that rely on transit, they have a right to feel safe. They have a right to be able to use their transit system without interference, without harassment, without having to witness or experience violence.”
Kyle Owens with local advocacy group Functional Transit Winnipeg says safety issues aren’t exclusive to city buses, and the perception of problems on the bus may be somewhat skewed.
“When things happen on Winnipeg Transit, because it’s a public space, it makes the news,” Owens said, “in a way that two drivers yelling at each other or being unsafe don’t make the news as regularly.
“What that means is that Winnipeg Transit seems like it’s constantly experiencing all these problems, but it’s really just a manifestation of these issues we’re seeing across society … all these vulnerable people.
Owens said everyone benefits from feeling safe on the bus, but he’s not sure adding police is an effective use of city resources, as it doesn’t tackle the root issues.
“We really see benefits when we talk about supports, when we talk about housing, when we really help people who are in trouble, who are vulnerable. Getting them in places where they feel safe benefits everybody.”