Toronto police to boost presence on TTC following spike in violence
CTV
The Toronto police will be rolling out an increased presence across the TTC following a rash of violent, and sometimes random, incidents on the city’s transit system.
The Toronto police will be rolling out an increased presence across the TTC following a rash of violent, and sometimes random, incidents on the city’s transit system.
Police Chief Myron Demkiw announced the boost alongside Mayor John Tory, as well as TTC CEO Rick Leary, at a news conference Thursday afternoon.
“In recent weeks, we have been actively increasing our high-visibility patrols within the transit system. However, it is clear that more can be done to enhance the safety and security of transit users,” Demkiw said.
The move will see 80 police officers deployed on the TTC network daily, which Demkiw says will focus on reducing victimization, preventing crimes of opportunity, and enhancing public safety.
Thursday's news comes at the tail end of a week filled with violence on TTC property, including a woman who was stabbed by a stranger on a streetcar and left with life-altering injuries, two transit workers who were chased through a subway station by a suspect armed with a syringe, and a 16-year-old boy who was seriously injured after he was slashed on a bus.
Demkiw said the deployment will rely on callback shifts, which lean on off-duty officers for coverage in an overtime capacity.
The chief did not put a price tag on the measure but said the cost would be monitored on an ongoing basis.
