Alberta provincial officers are “encouraging” native governments in Calgary and Edmonton to switch management and command of transit peace officers to native police as each cities grapple with rising crime on its transit techniques.
The proposal got here as a part of Tuesday’s announcement that the provincial authorities will assist with funding to recruit, rent and practice 100 new law enforcement officials between Calgary and Edmonton.
In keeping with a provincial information launch, the switch of command “will allow the police to higher lead a coordinated and strategic response to the rise in violent crime on public transport.”
In response to the province’s proposal, Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek mentioned built-in work between the Calgary Police Service and transit peace officers is already underway within the metropolis with no switch of command.
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“I am comfortable to let you know that the skilled and trust-based relationship fostered by our groups on the police service in addition to transit and administration in our metropolis is already doing this work,” Gondek mentioned Tuesday.
In an announcement to International Information, the Metropolis of Calgary mentioned transit peace officers have a collaborative and built-in relationship with the Calgary Police Service with a “confirmed document of cooperation.”
Metropolis officers cited a transit peace officer’s roles in a current undercover police operation that led to 268 indictments in opposition to dozens of individuals accused of drug dealing on town’s CTrain line.
“It is a very shut integration,” Calgary Police Chief Mark Neufeld advised International Information. “It is going to sometimes be project-based initiatives and actions that happen, however it should be a steady integration of working collectively.”
Metropolis officers and police introduced a brand new transit enforcement technique Monday that features patrols working in a single day with police and peace officers working seven nights every week, up from the present 4 nights every week.
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There has additionally been casual cooperation between transit peace officers and police at two security facilities within the metropolis’s downtown space, which area officers can share details about downside areas and people encountered by each transit officers and police on responsibility.
Nevertheless, town’s prime cop mentioned there are some methods coordination and cooperation between transit officers and police may enhance, together with information assortment and sharing, and coordinating dispatch throughout the system.
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Communications on the bottom comparable to radios is one other space Neufeld famous as a spot within the system.
“One of many challenges proper now’s if a transit peace officer had an emergency, they are often very near a police officer, however they are not speaking to one another,” Neufeld mentioned.
“These are a few of the issues that may be addressed in a short time that may really assist the mixing and coordination of assets.”
Neufeld mentioned the short-term focus is on addressing rising violent crime on transit, with long-term consideration to a sustainable transportation security mannequin as town continues to broaden.
“It’s important that transit peace officers and law enforcement officials in all communities work collectively successfully,” Neufeld mentioned. “A part of that’s the realization that there needs to be that high-level coordination that goes right down to the boots on the road.”
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Kelly Sundberg, a criminologist at Mount Royal College, mentioned he believes the coordination of assets between police and transit peace officers is working effectively, and is working towards an evidence-based strategy to addressing the rise in crime on the transit system.
In response to the county’s proposal to switch the command of peace officers to native police, Sundberg accused county politicians of politicizing a posh problem unfolding on town’s transportation community.
“I feel it is actually short-sighted. That is simply plain politicking and it’ll waste public cash,” Sundberg mentioned.
“It is not one thing to trivialize or politicize, it is one thing for us to deal with, as a result of it is folks’s lives we’re speaking about, it is the protection of our communities.”
The Ministry of Public Security and Emergency Companies didn’t reply to International Information’ request for remark.
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