‘A band-aid solution’: Ford says plan for extra cops on TTC doesn’t go far enough

Ontario’s premier says he fully supports more full-time police officers patrolling Toronto public transit and suggested the recent measures put forth by the city don’t go far enough.

Doug Ford weighed-in on the beefed up security on the TTC while speaking in Brampton on Friday. A day earlier, Toronto police announced an increase in their daily presence along the system in response to safety concerns over a recent spate of violent attacks.

“We need to continue to hire police officers,” Ford says. “I appreciate Mayor Tory has come up with a plan, but it’s a band-aid solution.”

The aforementioned plan aims to have up to 80 officers patrol the system each day. Police chief Myron Demkiw said the additional resources will not impact frontline officers who will still be available for priority calls.

“It’s paid duty, they are really working on time-and-a-half,” Ford says. “It’s not a full team there. That’s what we need.”

Related:

• ‘Call the mayor’s office,’ TTC operator appears to blame John Tory for delays

• Timeline: Disturbing trend of violent attacks on the TTC

The recommendation from the premier flies in the face of the criticism from transit advocates levelled at the mayor’s new plan.

While advocacy group TTCriders echoed Ford by calling Tory’s plan a “bandage solution,” they also suggested that an increased police presence doesn’t get to the root cause of the issue. They say the real problem is a lack of support for those experiencing homelessness and people with severe mental health issues.

“Police don’t address the root causes of violence,” says TTCriders spokesperson Shelagh Pizey-Allen. “Police cause harm to Black, Indigenous and racialized people.”

She argues the extra officers will actually make many people feel less safe on transit.

Groups representing transit users, workers and other experts are set to hold a town hall event next month to explore what they say are proactive solutions to “what a safe, dignified, and accessible public transit system means to you.”

Thursday marked the first day of the increased presence along the system, which Demkiw said would be immediately noticeable by riders.

The extra enforcement comes on the heels of an escalation of violence on public transit in Toronto, which has put riders on high alert and prompted calls from union leaders who have asked officials to take action immediately.

Some shocking violence on the TTC in 2022 has been followed by a surge in attacks on the system to begin the new year, with more than a half dozen attacks occurring in the last week alone.

With files from The Canadian Press