Keeping Transit users and drivers safe

A city cannot build confidence in public transit if people are afraid to use it.

That is the uncomfortable but unavoidable reality behind the Winnipeg Police Service’s decision to return undercover and uniformed officers to buses, transit stops and transit hubs beginning this past weekend.

It’s unfortunate police patrols have to become permanent features of riding the bus. But after years of rising violence and disorder on Winnipeg Transit, and with clear evidence that police presence reduces crime, this is a necessary step and one that should be made permanent.

The numbers leave little room for debate.

Reported incidents at transit locations — including buses and bus shelters — nearly tripled between 2019 and 2024, reaching a record 325 annual events. Bus operators have been assaulted, riders have been threatened and harassed and transit hubs have become places where too many people feel uneasy rather than secure.

That reality carries consequences beyond crime statistics.

Public transit only works when the public trusts it. People will not use buses if they believe their personal safety is at risk. Operators cannot be expected to work under constant threat of violence or disruption. And a city that wants to encourage transit use cannot ignore the growing concerns of the very people it depends on to make the system viable. That is why the return of police patrols is welcome news.

The decision follows a 15-week pilot project run last fall by the Winnipeg Police Service and city officials to address escalating safety concerns. The initiative combined police officers and community safety personnel in targeted enforcement across the transit system.

The results were encouraging.

During the enhanced enforcement period, between Sept. 17 and Dec. 31, violent crime in and around buses dropped by 18 per cent. Property crime and other criminal incidents also declined. Police arrested a dozen suspects and enforced fare evasion on 98 occasions.

Those are not symbolic gains. They are measurable improvements in public safety.

The purpose of patrols is not simply to react after crimes occur but to deter criminal behaviour before it happens. Visible police presence sends a message that violence, intimidation and disorder will not be tolerated and that those who target operators or passengers will face consequences.

That reassurance matters to riders and transit workers alike.

The Amalgamated Transit Union and other labour organizations have been pressing city officials for stronger protections, arguing that employers have a responsibility to provide safe workplaces. They are right.

Bus operators are not security guards. They should not be expected to manage threatening or violent situations on their own. Driving a bus is demanding enough without the added burden of worrying about whether an encounter with an aggressive passenger might escalate into assault.

Thousands of Winnipeggers a day rely on buses to reach work, school, medical appointments and community services. When transit becomes unsafe, those with the fewest transportation alternatives often bear the greatest burden.

There are practical considerations as well. Fare evasion costs Winnipeg an estimated $7 million annually. While public safety must remain the primary objective, improved enforcement can help recover lost revenue and reinforce standards of accountability within the system.

Still, it would be a mistake to pretend policing alone can solve the problem.

Violence and disorder on transit often intersect with addiction, homelessness, mental illness and poverty. Those challenges require broader responses, including housing, treatment and community supports.

But those longer-term solutions cannot substitute for keeping people safe today.

Until Winnipeg can ensure transit safety without police patrols, keeping officers on buses is not merely justified, it is necessary.