Halifax is considering a program that would add safety officers to buses and ferries in order to counter a growing trend of violence in the transit system.
A report by city staff says the number of violent incidents rose by 107 per cent over the previous four years, with the severity of those cases increasing over that period.
A data analysis shows that in 2018 Halifax Transit handled 96 violent incidents per month and that so far this year the monthly average has been 248 cases.
From May 1 to Sept. 30, the agency recorded 258 verbal and 75 physical assaults, 22 incidents involving weapon threats, and 138 cases that required involvement by police.
The report recommends the agency hire 28 staff to help deter violent incidents, including 18 traffic safety officers to ride buses and ferries, at a cost of more than $8 million over the next four years.
City staff pitched the proposed safety plan before the regional council’s transportation standing committee on Thursday.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 24, 2023.
© 2023 The Canadian Press
