[bru-info] For immediate release: Hiring more transit police won't improve safety for women

[bru-info at lists.resist.ca]

Hiring more transit police won't improve safety
for women, says Bus Riders Union

TransLink's recent announcement of their intention to increase the transit
police force is being met with concern by the Bus Riders Union (BRU), a
community organization that has been advocating for transit riders since
2001.

To respond to growing safety concerns in the transit system, the Bus Riders
Union instead urges TransLink to divert all Skytrain police away from fare
enforcement and towards foot patrols of Skytrain stations and surrounding
areas.  Increased bus service and lower fares would also make transit more
accessible and reduce isolation among poor women.

The Greater Vancouver Transit Police, which operate on both the bus and the
Skytrain, was increased in 2006 to 93 officers, for a total cost of
18.3million dollars per year.  The decision to post transit police
officers on
buses was justified as a safety measure, but the Bus Riders Union has
received numerous reports of women being kicked off the bus for non-payment
of fares late in the evening, making them vulnerable to harassment and
assault.

Zailda Chan, BRU organizer, explains, "Transit officials have publicly
stated that they fight crime by checking fares.  This is poor-bashing, plain
and simple.  Being poor in Metro Vancouver is not a crime.  People who
assault women and commit hate crimes come from all socio-economic groups.
This is a bad strategy to fight violence against women and people of
colour."

Continues Chan, "Poor women, particularly poor women of colour, are more
likely to be victims of violent crime.  If they have been kicked off the bus
by transit police or are issued a $173 fine because they cannot afford the
fares, they are less likely to approach transit police if they feel
unsafe."

The Bus Riders Union is organizing against police brutality and racial
profiling in the transit system, and urges concerned bus riders and
supporters to get involved.  For more information visit
http://bru.vcn.bc.caor email
busridersunion at gmail.com

-30-


-- 
Bus Riders Union
672 East Broadway St.
Vancouver BC
V5T 1X6
http://bru.vcn.bc.ca/
604-215-2775


-- 
Bus Riders Union
672 East Broadway St.
Vancouver BC
V5T 1X6
http://bru.vcn.bc.ca/
604-215-2775
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.resist.ca/pipermail/bru-info/attachments/20070810/ed3efcc4/attachment.html>