Uncovering graphic details of crimes on Ottawa's city buses
Ashley Burke | CBC News | Posted: May 16, 2016 9:00 AM | Last Updated: May 17, 2016
OC Transpo wants to triple surveillance cameras to deter offences
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Red bus symbol represents a bus driver assaulted, blue passenger symbol represents a bus rider assaulted, handcuffs symbol represents a bus rider sexually assaulted, knife symbol represents a knife reported on bus, gun symbol represents a gun reported on bus, black bus station symbol represents an assault at a bus stop.
A rider threatens to slit passengers' throats on a bus near Bayview Station. A man goes out of his way to sit beside a woman on the 95, then pulls out a knife with a six-centimetre blade and smiles at her.
The two disturbing incidents are among more than 900 occurrences reported to OC Transpo's transit enforcement last year, the summaries of which CBC News obtained through an access to information request.
OC Transpo wants to deter crime by tripling the number of surveillance cameras in buses and stations as it builds the light rail system, and it's launching a public consultation Monday to get feedback from riders.
Crime on buses and at stations was up eight per cent in 2015 compared to the year before, but it's not the highest number of incidents the city has seen in recent years, according to data from more than 5,000 incidents since 2011.
Hundreds of assaults on passengers
Crimes against OC Transpo property — fraud, theft and mischief — is the most prevalent criminal offence with more than 2,000 reported incidents since 2011.
Crimes against people — either bus drivers or passengers — is the second highest reported offence (1,483). Those assaults, threats, and indecent acts led to more than 400 arrests over the last five years, documents show.
Other examples from the past year include:
- A bus driver reported a man firing a handgun at his bus, damaging a window near Hillcrest High School.
- A naked man running around Longfields Station was caught masturbating on camera.
- A man planted a dismembered cat leg in a bus shelter on Baseline Road.
- A man was sucker-punched getting off a route 7 bus, resulting in a bloody nose and two black eyes.
There were a dozen reports of guns spotted on buses, 20 reports of people brandishing knives, and 11 men were reported masturbating on buses and stations last year.
"We run a very statistically safe service," said transit commission chair Coun. Stephen Blais.
"We live in a big city and OC Transpo moves hundreds of thousands of people every year. Unfortunately, there are people in our society who behave badly and commit crimes."
Privacy concerns over security cameras
To deter criminals, OC Transpo wants to hook up more than 1,200 security cameras as it builds the LRT. There are currently 400 cameras installed in buses and stations.
"It's often very difficult to stop crime from happening," said Blais. "Once it happens, though, it's important to have the tools and resources necessary to catch those people who have committed the crimes and bring them to justice."
All new buses added to Ottawa's fleet are equipped with anywhere from four to eight security cameras, depending on bus size. But the cameras come with concerns from passengers and operators about privacy.
OC Transpo bus driver Abdi Ali says that it's a good thing that the cameras will be rolling if a passenger acts out — but they'll also be capturing everything else.
"It's going to record everything," said Ali. "Sometimes you have a break and stay inside the bus. It's going to record you so you have no privacy."
The union representing bus drivers doesn't want the cameras to be used to discipline bus drivers.
Not a 'silver bullet' to stop violence
Studies show fixed cameras on streets do not reduce crime, according one criminology professor.
"We just shouldn't think it's the silver bullet that's going to stop all violence," said the University of Ottawa's Irvin Waller. "People do stupid things without really thinking about whether they're being observed or are going to be caught. This is certainly true of people who are drunk."
However, Waller believes the cameras will help police arrest and charge criminals.
To comply with Ontario's privacy regulations, the City of Ottawa must ask for the public feedback on the issue and report back to the city's transit commission in the fall.
OC Transpo's public consultation on surveillance cameras runs in person and online until May 31.