Transit police stepping up presence following spike in violence aboard buses, SkyTrain

Metro Vancouver Transit Police are stepping up their presence across the system, following a string of recent violent incidents aboard buses and SkyTrain.

The most recent violence came in the form of a stabbing aboard a bus in Surrey on Tuesday night, which left a 17-year-old boy dead. Homicide investigators have taken conduct of that case.

“We have deployed officers, a visible presence, more uniforms out on the trains out on the system, we have specialized units we are pressing out onto the system to help people not only feel safe but be safe,” transit police Const. Amanda Steed told Global News.

“Our officers are noticing an increasing level of calls that have an mental health component, have a violence component or even weapons component, and its shocking.”

1:49 Teen dead in Surrey bus stabbing

On Sunday, transit police arrested a man accused in a series of assaults and of slashing an officer with a knife in Burnaby, while on Monday a person was stabbed at the Columbia SkyTrain station in New Westminster.

Earlier this month, a man was arrested after allegedly slashing a bus passenger’s throat in Surrey. That case is now being investigated as a possible terrorist act committed in the name of ISIS.

Transit police statistics showed 1,572 “crimes against persons” recorded in 2022, down from a high of 2,056 in 2016, but up from 1,376 in 2021 and 1,456 in 2020.

The force said it saw a decline in the volume of reported crimes per 100,000 transit passengers between 2021 and 2022, though noted passenger boardings were up by 45 per cent in that same period.

0:33 Stabbing incident at Colombia SkyTrain Station

The agency said that while statistics showed a decrease in the rate of crimes being reported, the string of violent incidents was “very concerning.”

Surrey transit passengers Global News spoke with on Wednesday appeared to share that concern.

“It is a concern,” said commuter Chris Hoffmann, who added that as a wheelchair user he felt it could be difficult to get out of harm’s way in the event of an incident.

“Especially the bus drivers, they get abused quite a bit. There’s a lot of violence towards them, I’ve seen it happen, and I’ve seen where we’ve had to get pulled over and transit security has had to come aboard.”

Commuter Helen Sinclair said she no longer used transit at night out of safety concerns.

“It’s pathetic, it’s sad. There’s got to be some justice for these people who feel like they can pull out a knife because they’re mad at someone,” she said.

“In the daytime there’s more people around, it’s not as bad as night, but at the night time forget it.”

0:33 Stabbing incident at Colombia SkyTrain Station

Steed said there are numerous measures in place on the transit system, including the yellow emergency strips on SkyTrain and the Transit Police text service (87-77-77 on a mobile phone) which people can use if they feel unsafe or need to report a crime.

She added that anyone who believes they are in danger should always call 911.

She urged people not to engage in vigilante justice if they see something happening, but added there are many other ways people can step in.

“We do respect the people that stand up for other people that are in harms way — whatever capacity you can do that, whether that’s observing, being a good witness, using a cell phone if its safe to do so to record that incident, or intervening if you physically feel like you can do that but be safe about it, we would never ask anyone to put themselves in harm’s way.”

And she said it is also incumbent on passengers to be vigilant as well, and to trust their gut and get off a bus or train if they feel uncomfortable and it is safe to do so.

“Gone are those days where we can just get on the train or ride the bus and put our head down, put our headphones in and just not pay attention, you need to be aware of your surroundings so you can help keep yourself safe,” she said.