USE OF FORCE BY EDMONTON TRANSIT PEACE OFFICERS ON THE RISE

Postmedia used a freedom of information request to obtain data on how often Edmonton transit peace officers have used force each year going back to 2008.

Rico Page, ETS security superintendent and acting security manager, said any time an officer has to touch a person “to get compliance,” it is classified as a use of force.

That can include waking a person sleeping on transit property, or leading a person in custody by the arm.

The statistics do not break down uses of force by type, but Page said most uses of force are low level.

He had not analyzed the detailed data to see what types of use of force contributed to the rise, but said it’s likely peace officers are submitting use of force reports for low-level incidents.

Use of force by city police, meanwhile, is considered anything higher than an “empty hand (soft) control,” used for co-operative handcuffing, according to a report to the Edmonton Police Commission.

Bashir Mohamed, with Black Lives Matter Edmonton, which released a statement after the youth’s arrest, is concerned about the rise in use of force incidents.

“I think the city really needs to realize this is a problem, and that they need to review this program to figure out why this is happening,” he said.

Edmonton police publicly release detailed data on how often its officers use force. Peace officers do not, which Mohamed said creates accountability issues.

Postmedia also requested statistics on use of force complaints against transit officers. There have been a total of 31 such complaints since 2011.

Edmonton police officers reported 2,448 use of force incidents in 2017, according to a report to the police commission. There are 1,766 city police officers.