Buses World News
In brief: Worldwide montly news & informations about Buses, Busmakers, Passengers' and the Transport Industry
TRANSIT COPS * Canada: 'Big Brother' rutine at work
* Ontario - Keeping the peace in Ottawa's night, with the Transit Cops
(Photo by Julie Oliver / Ottawa Citizen - The mission control room where all buses are monitored from at the OC Transpo’s Industrial Ave. location)
-- A wall of monitors broadcasts live images from across the darkened city... Here inside OC Transpo’s sophisticated communications centre on Belfast Road, a pair of operators quietly work, keeping in constant touch with bus drivers out on the road... Off to one side, behind a wall of opaque glass panels, is the transit law-enforcement headquarters, the thrumming heart of OC Transpo’s security operation... There’s an undeniable element of Big Brother at work here... Three communications officers stay in regular contact with the special constables, the authority’s boots on the ground. The communications team also has its own large bank of monitors to watch what’s happening inside bus stations across the city... This is whom special constables out on the road call when they want names run through the Canadian Police Information Centre database if they have, for instance, detained a person for being drunk on a bus or causing a ruckus... Special constables — the formal name for transit cops — have many of the same powers as the police. They can arrest and detain people under the Criminal Code, enforce drug and alcohol laws, and bust panhandlers on all transit vehicles, stations and property. They don’t have guns or Tasers, but do carry batons, pepper spray and handcuffs...
(Photo by Cole Burston / Ottawa Citizen - A typical night might see nine special constables, plus a sergeant, at work)
... The constables say some bus drivers have also been known to announce to passengers that special constables will be boarding the bus at an upcoming stop, only to see half the bus empty out the back door...
(Photo by Julie Oliver / Ottawa Citizen - The mission control room where all buses are monitored from at the OC Transpo’s Industrial Ave. location) -- Ottawa, ONT, CAN - The Ottawa Citizen, by Matthew Pearson - May 10, 2015Labels: police on buses
Police on Buses * UK - Officers are being encouraged to use public transport
Glenfield,Leicestershire,EN,UK -BBC -12 August 2010: -- Leicestershire Police officers are being encouraged use public transport or cycles while on the beat as part of a savings drive... The force needs to save a total of £15m by March 2011. It has now reduced its fleet of vehicles from 483 to 443... A police spokeswoman said selling the vehicles had already saved £52,000 and would save £155,000 in revenue costs... She said officers were being encouraged to use cheaper transport only in non-emergency situations... Supt Chris Haward said the force had used GPS mapping equipment to work out how often all of its vehicles were being used before deciding which ones to cut... The force said officers using buses would act as a reassuring presence for passengers and those on bicycles would have more time to chat to residents and get to know the community better... (Photo from this is Leicestershire: Insp Rich Toone catches a bus in Leicester)Labels: police on buses
SECURITY * UK - Support officers on bus patrols
The officers will ride on buses and help keep routes clear
London,UK -BBC News -20 February 2008: -- A bus company is putting police community support officers (PSCO) on its vehicles to help cut crime and anti-social behaviour... The £180,000 Newport Transport scheme will see four officers riding the routes for the next three years... The firm spent around £80,000 last year replacing broken windows on its buses... The company, which carries around eight million passengers a year, said the PSCOs will also be able to help keep bus routes in the city running smoothly as they will have traffic enforcement powers... (Picture: The officers will ride on buses and help keep routes clear) * UK - Antisocial behaviour on buses ‘increasing’Borehanwood,UK -The Borehanwood Times, by Janaki Mahadevan -22 Feb 2008: -- Antisocial behaviour on buses is an increasing problem in Borehamwood, with some drivers being verbally abused every day, according to bus companies and passengers... Despite the companies working closely with Hertfordshire Constabulary to stamp out problems with rowdy and abusive behaviour, incidents continue to cause concern, particularly during peak hours... One bus company operator said verbal attacks on drivers now occur on a daily basis...
Labels: police on buses
POLICE on BUSES
* UK - MSP wants cop patrols on buses to reduce crimeGlasgow,Scotland,UK -The Glasgow Evening Times, by Brian Currie -15 Feb 2007: -- Police must be put on Glasgow's buses to cut crime, a city MSP said today... Bill Aitken has written to Strathclyde Chief Constable Sir Willie Rae urging more protection for passengers after witnessing an assault on a Polish immigrant... The Tory MSP, a regular bus user, said the attack on the No16 bus was just the latest example of criminal behaviour he had seen on journeys between his West End home and the city centre...* USA - Council to vote on police presence on DDOT busesDetroit,Mich,USA - The Detroit Free Press, by MARISOL BELLO & ZACHARY GORCHOW -Feb 15, 2007: -- The Detroit City Council indicated Thursday it would vote next week on a plan to put the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office in charge of policing Detroit Department of Transportation buses... It remains unclear whether enough support exists on the council for the move with some council members saying the Detroit Police Department should assign some of its officers to the buses, as it did until late 2005...Labels: police on buses
