Transit Police audit finds force is doing a good job
Posted May 15, 2012 10:35 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – An audit of the Transit Police suggests the force is doing a good job.
The force has been heavily criticized lately due to a lack of fare evasion collections and for how much it costs the region. According to the audit, the budget for the force is similar to other departments of a similar size and scope, and that it isn’t the tax burden that critics claim.
“We come at a lower price tag than some of the other police services across the Lower Mainland, so that’s documented right in the report. It shows that we are being responsible with the stewardship of those resources,” explains Chief Neil Dubord.
The review suggests the Transit cops have been effective in reducing violent crimes on the SkyTrain and buses. However, the report does recommend better communication between the department, TransLink and other agencies.
“Make sure we put our police officers on the platforms that are the busiest at the right time of day and right day of the week. We needed better policies and procedures and some better supervision around the management of our overtime, and I think we’ve come a long way with that.”
“Although fare evasion is an important piece of what we do, ultimately we are protecting the public and they want to be able to ride the transit system safely,” stresses Dubord.
The audit was done by the Vancouver Police Department.
