Increased security comes after string of people attacked, injured on the TTC
After a recent surge of violent incidents on the TTC, police are increasing the daily presence
of officers within the city’s transit system effective Thursday, Police Chief Myron Demkiw said
Upwards of 80 police officers will be in place throughout the transit system every day, he said, in an effort to enhance public safety and prevent crimes of opportunity
he said
Our officers will be on, in and around our transit system across the city
Demkiw appeared at a news conference Thursday alongside Mayor John Tory and TTC CEO Rick Leary, among others, to respond to an increase in attacks on streetcars, buses and on the subway
Demkiw said the officers who will be patrolling the TTC will be doing so on an overtime capacity, as to not compromise efforts to improve response times for police calls across the city
It’s unclear how much this plan will cost, but Demkiw said police will monitor the situation day-to-day, week-to-week
to see what costs will be, and are prepared to scale as required
Leary said the TTC will also be adding more special constables and uniform employees to the system, as well as adding to and improving security camera systems
These individuals are there to help individuals
Leary said
Incidents of violence
A 16-year-old boy who was seriously injured in a stabbing on a TTC bus (new window) Wednesday marked the fourth case of violence in five days on the city’s transit system
In those five days, police reported separate incidents involving harassment and assault against TTC employees, and a resident stabbed several times while on a streetcar
Earlier in the day, a person was arrested after allegedly chasing two TTC workers with a syringe
In response to the violence, Tory called for a summit that would see mayors, ministers, premiers and the prime minister discuss how better to support people living with mental health and addictions challenges
Tory said Thursday he understands some passengers are anxious and scared, and officials are doing what they can to make sure transit riders and employees alike are safe
The TTC must be safe for everyone, without exception
he said
ATTACKS ON TORONTO TRANSIT USERS, STAFF PROMPTS CALLS FOR TASK FORCE
18 hours agoDuration2:24The union representing transit workers across Canada is calling for a safety task force following a series of violent attacks on Toronto transit users and staff. But the problem is not limited to Toronto
The mayor also said the city needs funding help from other levels of government both for additional police officers and special constables, and for investments in social services and mental health
Toronto police say that in light of the recent incidents, officers have been encouraged to engage with passengers and TTC operators when they are on duty and provide a visible policing presence on transit
‘We are at a breaking point’: union local president
Cities outside Toronto are also witnessing an increase of violence on their transit networks. The Amalgamated Transit Union Canada, representing 35,000 transit workers, called for a national task force to tackle violence against workers and riders on public transit systems across the country
ATU Local 113, the union local that represents 12,000 transit workers across Toronto, sent a letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau Thursday, asking for federal assistance and resources be allocated to the issues of mental health and homelessness
We are at a breaking point. We’re in a situation where we have members saying they are in fear
said Marvin Alfred, Local 113 president
We have Torontonians saying they are looking at options other than the TTC, which increases costs and emissions, versus taking public transit because they are too scared
The TTC’s latest CEO report from earlier this month shows reports of violence against customers spiked in early 2020 and has ebbed and flowed since then — but has not dropped back down to pre-pandemic levels
The report also shows offences against employees have risen since 2017, peaking in the spring of last year
Adam Carter · CBC News
