WINNIPEG — Winnipeg Police officers are officially riding transit buses after years of debate over the issue at city hall.
Friday morning, Deputy Chief Dave Thorne told the Winnipeg Police Board that officers are on select buses and have been for a while.
This came as a surprise to councillors who had been pushing for this for years, as assaults on bus drivers increased.
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“Two thirds of our assaults are related to fare disputes,” said John Callahan, President of the Amalgamated Transit Union. “Just in January there were 10 assaults alone and many don’t get reported.”
Deputy Chief Thorne says there are not specific officers assigned to buses instead when there are shifts that overlap then police will hop on a bus.
Callahan says just recently one of those officers in plain clothes broke up an unruly situation.
“You necessarily won’t know if an officer is on the bus or if one is waiting at the bus stop with you,” said Callahan, “Public transit isn’t going away it’s going to grow and we want to make it a positive place.”