The City of Winnipeg has put out a request for proposal for a consultant to create a transit security plan that would give inspectors more authority when dealing with unruly passengers.
Currently, all security-related functions on buses and transit property are overseen by transit inspectors, who are designated as special constables, according to the RFP, dated Dec. 31.
While these officers can issue banning orders to prevent disruptive transit users from entering, they can’t demand riders show identification or arrest or detain them.
At that point, Winnipeg police must be called.
The city wants a study to compare transit system infrastructure in six other similar-sized Canadian cities, review their security models and analyze the effectiveness and limitations of each.
The RFP also asks the winning bidder to hold discussions with key stakeholder groups to provide an overview of potential challenges that could come from using the different security models in Winnipeg specifically.
Those groups would include the Winnipeg Police Service, Winnipeg Police Association, the Winnipeg Association of Public Service Officers and the Province of Manitoba.
At the end of that work, the city wants the study to recommend options for an up-to-date transit security model for the City of Winnipeg.
“It will take into account planned infrastructure expansions over the next 10 years and the anticipated system growth,” reads the RFP.
“It will provide an analysis of the anticipated startup and annual operating costs associated with adopting each model.”
The study should also include any specific expanded powers security staff could need, including the statutes and bylaws that they would be able to enforce.
Training for security force members would also be provided if that model is chosen.
The city is asking the study to be completed within 16 weeks of being started by the winning bidder.
Interested consultants have until Jan. 31 to bid on the contract.
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