HRM councillor calls for improved bus safety and possible police presence

Councillor Tony Mancini tabled a new proposal aimed at improving safety on buses and at terminals at Thursday's Halifax Regional Municipality Transportation Standing Committee meeting.

“My suggestion at the committee was to look at a whole bunch of things," said Mancini. "Possibly have a police officer periodically go for a ride on the most popular bus route or go through a bus terminal.”

Halifax Regional Police would not comment on the proposal.

"At this time, there is no plan to have police on city buses. Buses are equipped with security cameras,” said HRM spokesperson Maggie-Jane Spray in an email to CTV News. “Operators can call for support from mobile supervisors or Halifax Regional Police as required.”

Shane O'Leary, the Amalgamated Transit Union 508 president, says increased safety is needed. However, he does not fully support the idea of police officers being on buses.

“But they should be at terminals on a regular basis," said O'Leary. "We have private security there now that is not adequate.”

According to O’Leary, Halifax will soon be big enough to have its own transit police force, just like other major cities.

“We need protection out there," said O'Leary. “It’s not safe. There are over 2,000 serious assaults in Canada on a yearly basis.”

At a bus terminal in Dartmouth, opinions on the issue of an increased police presence were mixed.

“I would say that's a little bit too far, and I don’t hear much about incidents on there,” said one passenger.

However, another passenger liked the idea.

“It never hurts to have security,” they said.

There are multiple layers to Mancini's proposal. He also called for community police officers to have an expanded role and street navigators to be assigned to multiple transit zones.

“Street navigator is someone who is skilled at dealing with vulnerable people,” said Mancini.

Both Mancini and O'Leary also want transit supervisors to be empowered with more resources, as a way to keep transit passengers and drivers safe.