Report recommends more peace officer presence at Edmonton transit stations

A new report is recommending the city increase peace officer presence and replace security guards at some train stations, to address transit safety issues. 

The report was commissioned by city council, after a motion to introduce fare gates was struck down in October.

The report recommends taking the $5 million budget for security guard services contracted from Commissionaires and using that money to instead hire new peace officers for the transit system. 

If a motion is passed, the city would look at options to hire up to 30 new transit peace officers, expanding from the current 96 positions. 

Perception of safety

Tim Cartmell, Ward pihêsiwin councillor, said the recommendations from the report can be extremely helpful in addressing ongoing safety concerns raised by transit users.

"I think what's important to note is that 40 per cent of Edmonton transit riders still report that they don't feel safe using the system," he said. "Every step that we can take that helps people feel more comfortable and more safe using this system, I think is something we have to really consider."

WATCH | A lag in perception of safety while taking transit:

Do Edmontonians feel safe taking transit?

7 days ago

Duration 2:31

A recent report by the City of Edmonton says taking transit is getting safer. But riders who spoke to CBC say that's not how they feel.

The survey found that around 61 per cent of respondents felt safe while using transit in 2024. 

Peace officers who are trained to monitor behaviour on public transportation, is something that could provide an improved perception of safety, Cartmell said. 

"The ideal situation is that when people see disorderly behaviour, they see those that are in authority responding to that disorderly behaviour," he said. "When they respond, [they] bring the right response to that behaviour."

Ward O-day'min Coun. Anne Stevenson echoes that sentiment. However, she said the issue isn't simply security presence. 

"What we see in our statistics is that actual crime and disorder is dropping, but the sense of safety isn't really budging," said Stevenson.

"The fact that we're not seeing a similar increase in perception of safety speaks to the fact that there may be some other elements missing."

She said the city should also look into improving the quality of LRT stations through better cleaning practices and fostering more positive social interactions.

Doesn't address safety for marginalized groups: advocate

More peace officers won't mean safer transit spaces, according to Rachelle Gladue, co-founder of the Tawâw Outreach Collective, an Indigenous-led outreach and advocacy group.

For her, the recommendations don't address broader societal issues that affect safety on public transportation.

"One thing that concerns me the most about increasing transit peace officers is really that it's not going to give the change that people think," she said. "It gives the perception of safety, but in my opinion, not real safety."

She said the increased presence of officers might reduce the presence of marginalized people in transit spaces, which could feel safer for the general public, but some of those people don't have any other place to go.

Instead, Gladue wants to see more attention put on social services that provide outreach and supports for marginalized groups. She points to work from the Community Outreach Transit Team.

"It doesn't address the roots of these issues. It's just, you know, we have lack of social supports, lack of housing, lack of income supports for people," she said. 

"When we're just shoo-ing those people out because that's what happens when we increase law enforcement presence there, we're just displacing crime and social disorder."

The report will go to city council on Tuesday.