De-escalation techniques key to incoming transit security: ex chief

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This article was published 12/07/2023 (821 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The president of a local law enforcement academy says Winnipeg Transit’s incoming security unit will face significant challenges as officers learn to operate safely within the confined, moving space of city buses.

“It’s a completely different thing from fighting a battle on the street. Tasers, batons and pepper spray do not work in a limited space when you have other passengers around, so you have to find a different way to address that situation,” said Herb Stephen, president and founder of the Northwest Law Enforcement Academy, and a former Winnipeg police chief.

“One of the things to look at is non-violent de-escalation. A good policeman is able to talk himself out of a lot of situations… That’s one of the big things you’ve got to learn.”

Stephen retired in 1992 after eight years as police chief.

He has consulted with the local transit union and City of Winnipeg officials, as they work to hire, train and deploy a transit security unit.

The preliminary 2023 city budget included $5 million to implement the program and hire 24 officers, who will staff routes and stops that have had a high number of violent incidents.

The plan has included collaboration from multiple levels of government, who have been working to introduce amendments to Manitoba’s police services law through Bill 34.

The legislation, introduced by Justice Minister Kelvin Goertzen in March, would give community safety officers and First Nations safety officers the authority to detain someone who poses a safety threat until police arrive.

A spokesperson for Manitoba Justice confirmed Wednesday the legislation has received royal assent.

Officials are working to determine the extent of the upgraded powers, and are developing regulations and training requirements for the security officers.

“We are working closely with stakeholders in the development of these regulations, specifically First Nations, the City of Winnipeg and other municipalities,” the spokesperson said.

Giving security officers the power to arrest unruly passengers is crucial to the success of the transit security program — without it they will garner neither respect nor compliance from would-be criminals, Stephen said.

“It’s long overdue. This has been needed for years,” he said. “We’re eagerly awaiting transit security because each day it seems there’s an incident on Winnipeg Transit buses, and these are serious incidents, too.”

A job posting for the leader for the new transit security team closed on Friday. The city has not announced whether it has filled the position.

“We’d love to be involved in the hiring process, but traditionally, labour and management have, unfortunately, had a combative or standoff-ish relationship,” said Chris Scott, president of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1505.

The union reported 138 assaults against its members in 2022 — the highest in history.

Scott said a successful security unit leader will be someone who understands the complex and overlapping social issues that contribute to transit violence, including homelessness, addictions and mental illness.

Like Stephen, he feels the unit will face unique challenges.

“They are going to have to get oriented toward the environment they’re in,” he said, “No matter what the training entails, there will be a certain degree where they have to acclimate.”

tyler.searle@freepress.mb.ca