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C-T-F takes issue with Transit Police report
VANCOUVER/CKNW (AM980)

3/6/2013

The Canadian Taxpayer's Federation takes issue with the latest, generally positive report on Transit Police.


The "Five Year Trend" report goes back to 2008.


That report says 74 percent of the time users feel safe riding the system, an improvement from 2009.


The Canadian Taxpayers Federation says while the combined violent and property crime rate on the system is down 6.8 percent from 2008 to 2010, the crime rate across Metro Vancouver itself is down 14 percent for the same time period.
 
 

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  • 11
  1. ChrisM_18 posted on 03/06/2013 12:26 PM
    So the crime rate in the transit system has only dropped by 50% of the Metro wide crime rate reduction ?

    The reasonable conclusion here is that more Transit cops are required !!
  2. FrankM_7944 posted on 03/06/2013 01:03 PM
    Why on earth do we keep paying for this waste of money police force!

    They don't take 911 calls, they are paid over a hundred grand a year, they get a Sunday premium, (unheard of in the real policing world), and they get paid over-time pay that is outrageous!

    Before the Mayors board or Translink asks me for more money, get rid of the waste and clearly this police force is a huge waste!
    1. MicahC posted on 03/06/2013 01:32 PM
      @FrankM_7944 I've read the comment from someone before that GVTAPS do not respond to 911 calls. This is absolute hogwash, plain and simple. GVTAPS are dispatched through ECOMM. In case you're wondering, I'm not a transit cop. Transit police respond to almost every type of call another police officer will respond to except things like neighbor disputes. Transit police respond to emergencies such a thefts, assaults, sex assaults, suicidal persons, possession for the purpose of trafficking ect...

      I have no idea about a Sunday premium however their overtime rate is comparable to other police forces with the exception of the RCMP (which are not union and are paid whatever they are told they are paid).

      I suppose you can keep spreading misinformation regarding what Transit police do and don't do however I don't think it's right. If you don't want Transit police that's fine but there will have to be someone to enforce the law on the transit system. It's not as though there will be a great savings to the tax payer as each jurisdiction will then be required to provide coverage for the transit system in their are.
    show more replies
  3. JanelleJ posted on 03/06/2013 01:09 PM
    ChrisM, I always agree with your comments, so I hope that you are being sarcastic this time :-)

    Transit cops are a huge waste of money, and I think you and I agree on that.

    I am so fed up with Translink defending their own personal police force.
    Why doesn't Shirley Bond get rid of them? Stand up and cut costs Ms. Bond, as we are tired of paying for these over paid ticket checkers!
    1. ChrisM_18 posted on 03/06/2013 01:20 PM
      @JanelleJ Yes - my comment was in jest as I think there is no relationship between crime reduction and the number of transit cops !
  4. JanelleJ posted on 03/06/2013 01:17 PM
    Another thought : Why not have VPD take over ALL the Transit cops duties?

    They can run a Transit section. They have cut their crime rate fifty percent more than the Transit cops have theirs.

    It would get rid of ALL the overhead; building costs, management, two deputy chiefs, dispatchers, ect.

    And on that note, why do Transit cops need dispatchers? They don't take 911 calls from the public. ECOM could easily absorb them, and save taxpayers thousands and thousands of dollars.
    They could all be absorbed by VPD.

    So all would have their jobs, and yet save taxpayers money with all the overhead saved!
    1. CS_3078 posted on 03/06/2013 02:38 PM
      @JanelleJ Their dispatchers should be going to Ecomm. Burnaby RCMP dispatchers and New West Police dispatchers are going to dispatch out of Ecomm as of June 2013...... VPD is already there..... why isn't Translink cutting some costs and sending the dispatchers to Ecomm???
  5. CS_3078 posted on 03/06/2013 02:37 PM
    @MicahC Transit Police are *not* dispatched out of Ecomm. They chose to retain their own dispatch center. Their dispatchers do *not* answer 911 calls. When you call 911, your call is answered by Ecomm, and then is routed to the jurisdictional police department. If the call relates to transit, the jurisdictional police can choose to contact Transit Police dispatch. But Transit Police dispatchers *do not* answer 911 calls, they do not talk directly to any member of the public who calls 911, and they are *not* dispatched out of Ecomm.

    They **are**, however, the highest paid dispatchers in the Lower Mainland, with a higher shift differential, Sunday premium, and higher "in lieu of" pay going to auxiliary employees.
  6. PeteJ_4586 posted on 03/06/2013 02:49 PM
    The overhead of this department is where the real waste is. Why not let VPD run a transit section? Or have an integrated municipal transit section? Why are we paying for their cars, and buildings, and top-heavy upper management (two deputy Chiefs, really!?!?)

    Transit Security do an awesome job. They can write tickets, be a presence on the system - and we could double them in numbers for the same price as having armed police officers.

    Best thing about Transit Security, they can't get charged under the Police Act so the taxpayers aren't on the hook paying for their lawyers!
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