'Acts of aggression' increase on Saskatoon Transit, violence against drivers drops
Saskatoon Transit is reporting an increase in passenger aggression.
Mike Moellenbeck, director of Saskatoon Transit, said "acts of aggression" can be classified as an intent to do harm, but physical violence hasn't happened.
"Types of incidents where windows are being banged by an individual, or a barrier is being hit," Moellenbeck said.
While passenger-on-passenger incidents have increased, Moellenbeck said violence against bus drivers has dropped.
"Largely due to the barriers that are installed," he said.
The information about bus violence was revealed during budget deliberations, when the mayor asked for an update on the new support officers, hired by the fire department, to focus on Saskatoon Transit safety.
The support officers were hired in July. Their goal is to keep the peace and connect vulnerable people with social services they may need.
The support workers are trained in de-escalation and can call police if needed.
Since the program began, they have ridden city buses 220 times and patrolled transit terminals 350 times.
According to city data, the officers have had to call for police assistance about 12 per cent of the time.
"What we'd say in a nutshell is that we think that the fire support officers have been extremely effective, as far as the people that have been hired are doing what we expected them to do, and they're doing a great job," City Manager Jeff Jorgensen said, during Monday's budget deliberations.
City administration said more data on transit safety will be available at the end of the summer, once the program has been operational for a full year.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canada Post strike: Union 'extremely disappointed' in latest offer, negotiator says
A negotiator for the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) says the latest offer from Canada Post to end the ongoing strike shows the carrier is moving in the "opposite direction."
Search for UnitedHealthcare CEO's killer yields evidence, but few answers
As the search for UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson’s killer goes on, investigators are reckoning with a tantalizing dichotomy: They have troves of evidence, but the shooter remains an enigma.
Digging themselves out: With Santa Claus parade cancelled, Londoners make best of snowy situation
Londoners continue to dig themselves out from this week’s massive snowstorm.
Trump is welcomed by Macron to Paris with presidential pomp and joined by Zelenskyy for their talks
French President Emmanuel Macron welcomed Donald Trump to Paris with a full dose of presidential pomp for the reopening of the Notre Dame Cathedral.
Groups launch legal challenge against Alberta's new gender-affirming treatment law
A pair of LGBTQ2S+ advocate organizations say they've followed through with their plan to challenge Alberta's three transgender bills in court, starting with one that bars doctors from providing gender-affirming treatment such as puberty blockers and hormone therapy for those under 16.
Insurgents reach gates of Syria's capital, threatening to upend decades of Assad rule
Insurgents march across Syria accelerated, with news that they had reached the suburbs of the capital and that government forces had withdrawn from Homs.
Canada's air force took video of object shot down over Yukon, updated image released
The Canadian military has released more details and an updated image of the unidentified object shot down over Canada's Yukon territory in February 2023.
U.S. announces nearly US$1 billion more in longer-term weapons support for Ukraine
The United States will provide nearly US$1 billion more in longer-term weapons support to Ukraine, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said Saturday.
New plan made to refloat cargo ship stuck in St. Lawrence River for two weeks
Officials say they have come up with a new plan to refloat a large cargo ship that ran aground in the St. Lawrence River two weeks ago after previous efforts to move the vessel were unsuccessful.