Foot patrols to start in 2014

Special constables to monitor stations

OC Transpo’s special constables will get out of their cars and provide more visible evidence that there’s security on buses and at transit stations starting in January, Ottawa’s transit chief John Manconi on Wednesday.

“It’s about visibility out in the system, on buses, for our operators and our staff,” Manconi said. “It’s permanent.”

The “walk-and-ride” program will start with just one platoon of security officers, he said. That means about four across the entire transit system. But if it goes well, it’ll expand and in the spring, officers will ride bicycles around transit stations and pack them aboard buses.

The ‘walk-and-ride’ program will start with just one platoon of security officers ... That means about four across the entire transit system. But if it goes well, it’ll expand.

There’s no special reason why the officers will be getting out of the cars they’ve ordinarily driven and start the transit equivalent of walking beats, he said — it’s just a general move toward improving security. Yet women have complained of being harassed and groped on buses, and worse — last August a woman was taken from Blair Station by a group of men and sexually assaulted.

Manconi wasn’t sure just how many special constables are on duty at any given time, but promised to check.

Then OC Transpo refused to provide the information, citing “operational safety considerations.” And it contradicted the idea that the constables will actually ride buses.

“Throughout their shifts, Special Constables will park their vehicle at a station and patrol that station on foot. By being on foot, they provide a visual deterrent and provide an atmosphere of safety and security for our customers and employees using Transit,” said a written statement from the city’s communications department.