Fewer transit safety incidents after Toronto police boost: TTC data

New data from Toronto’s transit agency shows safety incidents were down in February after police boosted patrols in the system and the agency added extra security guards and outreach workers.

The monthly Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) report from CEO Rick Leary shows the total number of offences against customers was 111 in February, down from 136 in January.

TTC spokesman Stuart Green had previously said the transit agency saw 116 incidents in January, down from 145 the month before, but the report states data for those months may have inaccuracies.

Green said they acknowledge that two months is not a significant trend, but they are not taking it for granted.

“We’ll have some new information on Wednesday or Thursday that we expect will show the trend continuing. It’s great news, but it is far from an acknowledgment that all the problems that we’ve had are solved.”

Police announced in late January that more than 80 officers would work overtime shifts at TTC locations following a series of violent incidents on the system, including stabbings, BB gun shootings and an alleged swarming.

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The city and TTC also announced it would add 50 contract security guards and 20 outreach workers to the system as an interim response.

Police have since ended the extra patrols, and the force has said on-duty officers are now patrolling the TTC as part of regular proactive patrols.

Transit expert Murtaza Haider said he believes the physical presence of law enforcement officers and security personnel is the larger deterrent for violent acts, but added he couldn’t say whether this decrease is actually related to the increase of officers.

Haider also said it’s not the solution to the violence seen recently on the TTC. “The real problem is that we have the social fabric in the city, weakening our ability to shelter individuals who are facing homelessness,” said Haider.

“If you take a step back and look at these interconnected systems, you realize that people who end up on public transit is because they don’t have shelter space, but they didn’t receive the mental health support that they needed.”

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He added restoring the trust passengers have in the transit system is critical for the ability to regain ridership to pre-pandemic levels.

Green said they recognize that there are lots of different challenges they face. “So, we need different responses. So, the police are certainly part of this, and they’ll continue to be part of our solution, as well the street outreach program to me additional staff that we have up there.”

Monica Mason, a coordinator with the advocacy group TTC Riders, agrees long-term investments are key to solving the safety issues.

“What we really need is long-term finding investments that we can use for getting more safety interventions like support staff and also to reverse service cuts that are also a safety issue,” said Mason.

President of the ATU Local 113, Marvin Alfred, the union which represents transit workers, said the

“There isn’t a real tangible difference in what’s going on in society and what’s going on in the transit system right now. transit workers and transit riders are concerned about what’s going on regarding safety in transit,” said Alfred. “We want the safety as well for people to travel.”

Alfred said they are looking to support a mayoral candidate who is looking into investing in returning the TTC service levels to pre-pandemic levels but is still reviewing their options regarding who to support.

With files from Meredith Bond