On Patrol: Ride along with OC Transpo’s Special Constables

On a typical day, there are more than 200,000 people who ride OC Transpo’s trains, buses, and Para Transpo.

Our transit system has been designed with your safety top of mind. From emergency phones to Night Stops, transit stations and bus stops are complete with features to ensure you can travel safely from A to B.

On your travels, you have most likely seen our Special Constables regularly patrolling stations, trains, buses and all transit property to ensure your journey is safe. They provide a unique and important service that is much more than just safety. They interact with customers, assist in responding to emergencies, and help other agencies such as Ottawa Police Service on special initiatives such as locating missing persons that are known to frequently take transit.

Special Constables are sworn peace officers who play an important law enforcement and security role in preserving the peace, preventing crime, assisting those in need and protecting customers and employees. In Ontario, Special Constables take the same oath of office as a Police Officer and are granted all or some of the authorities of a police officer depending on how their roles are defined.

They have the powers of a Police Officer to:

• Investigate incidents
• Arrest persons
• Charge offenders under the Criminal Code and/or Provincial and Municipal acts

These powers are limited to incidents on or related to properties and vehicles owned, occupied, or leased by OC Transpo.

Stittsville Councillor and Chair of the Transit Commission, Glen Gower, joined our Special Constables for a ride along to see firsthand what it is like to patrol Ottawa’s transit system as a Special Constable.

Join The Next Stop Blog team on an evening patrol of our transit system from 6 to 10 pm, also known as 1800 to 2200, to find out what it’s like to be a Special Constable.

18:15 - Pre-Shift Briefing

Before we get into our patrol car, our shift begins with a briefing where Special Constables who are working the night shift meet with colleagues who were patrolling the system during the day. Shifts are typically 12 hours long and can take place during the day or night.

We catch up with the day platoon to learn more about what they encountered, calls received, and objectives for the evening. Many of them come from different backgrounds such as other police agencies, firefighting, military, and even teaching. They each possess a unique specialty such as School Liaison Officers, Mental Health Officers, Special Medical and Rescue Officers, Victim Liaison Officers and more!

While we’re in the briefing, the platoon pauses their discussion as a Be On the Lookout (BOLO) update comes in over the radio for a missing person from Ottawa Police Service. The night platoon takes note of the update before recommencing the briefing.

Special Constables have a large area to cover. To be specific, Ottawa’s transit system covers a total service area of 480 km2 and includes 47 transit stations, more than 5,000 bus stops, 26 Park & Ride lots, and multiple dedicated transit corridors. Special Constables patrol the transit system by car, ride transit, and travel by bike.

Each platoon will strategically assign Special Constables to areas in the south, east, west and central areas. For tonight’s shift, we’ll be joining Sergeant Flint and Superintendent Gibeault in patrolling the central zone which includes three major transit stations: Tunney’s Pasture, Rideau and Hurdman.

18:30 – Check in with dispatch

Before we start our patrol, Superintendent Gibeault brings us to the Transit Operations Control Centre (TOCC) where the Special Constable Unit answers calls and monitors thousands of CCTV cameras across the network. If you call Special Constables (613-741-2478) or are using an emergency phone found across our system, the TOCC is where all calls are answered and dispatched. We receive a brief overview of the TOCC and meet some of the key players who help manage safety behind the scenes:

• Call takers receive calls from operators and members of the public. They respond to calls from emergency phones or payphones at stations and Park & Rides
• Dispatchers receive information from call takers and dispatch Special Constables or other emergency services as needed
• Security camera operators monitor camera feeds from stations, buses, trains and Park & Rides

18:45 - Time to Patrol

Before we jump in our patrol vehicle, we double check that we’ve got all the necessary equipment for the evening. This includes first aid kits, rescue gear, helmet, and naloxone. Special Constables receive the same level of medical training that firefighters receive and are often the first on scene at many emergencies.

We begin travelling past Hurdman Station as we enter the southeast Transitway. Special Constables use the Transitway when travelling throughout the city. We then stop in at Billings Bridge Station to check in with other Special Constables before heading to Tunney’s Pasture Station. As we travel north up Bronson Avenue, we spot a motor vehicle collision. While no transit vehicles are involved, Sergeant Flint and Superintendent Gibeault park safely in the intersection to help the drivers in the accident and help direct traffic. Under the powers assigned to Special Constables by Ottawa Police Service, if they come across an accident, they must secure the scene until OPS arrives.

Luckily everyone is okay, and once OPS arrives on scene, we continue on our patrol of the central zone.

Our next stop is Tunney’s Pasture where we perform a quick sweep of the station. Everything is all clear, so we then pull out of the bus loop and make our way east down Scott Street to begin patrol of Rideau Station and Rideau Street.

20:30 - Foot Patrol of Rideau Station

We pull into a parking space on George Street and begin walking up William Street to Rideau Station. As we’re walking, Superintendent Gibeault explains the partnerships that they have built up with local stakeholders in the ByWard Market.

“Our station is used by many customers who are heading into the market. We’ve built relationships with many of the restaurants on William Street”, says Superintendent Gibault. Special Constables work closely with local businesses, numerous shelters, members of the community and many other partners to keep our transit system safe.

We stand in front of Rideau Station where Sergeant Flint explains some of the key areas that fall within Special Constable responsibility at Rideau Station and the many bus stops along Rideau Street. While standing in front of Rideau Station, we are approached by many people with general questions about transit.

A typical patrol in this area involves ensuring Rideau Station remains accessible and safe, then continuing to walk down Rideau Street to patrol the bus stops. Special Constables not only act as a visible safety presence to help deter any criminal activities, but also as an approachable resource. Whether you have questions about how to get to your destination, feel unsafe, or need medical attention, you can always approach a Special Constable.

As we stand in front of Rideau Station, we connect with two other Special Constables who are also patrolling Rideau Street. They had taken note of the missing person BOLO that was heard earlier and had recognized the description, successfully locating the missing person safe and sound, and notifying Ottawa Police Service of their location and overall wellbeing.

While patrolling Rideau Street, we hear a call on the radio that OPS are attending a disturbance closer to Sussex Street. We walk down towards where we see two OPS officers performing a wellness check. As we walk, Superintendent Gibault explains “Special Constables undergo a significant amount of training to help prepare them for what they may encounter on the job. A key part of this is de-escalation training which comes into use when dealing with disturbances near transit stations.”

Not only do Special Constables work very closely with Ottawa Police Service, but they have also established a strong partnership with local shelters and various social service resources through the City of Ottawa’s Unsheltered Task Force. Comprised of approximately 40 members, this group meets frequently to ensure Ottawa’s vulnerable population have a safe place to go. This task force has resulted in numerous success stories of how OC Transpo has helped connect members of Ottawa’s vulnerable population with various social service resources.

A few winters back, one Special Constable identified the need to pay special attention to those who may not have appropriate clothing to keep them warm during our frigid winter. The Special Constable Unit’s “Grab and Go” program was born. Sergeant Flint explains, “We saw the need to assist vulnerable individuals especially in Ottawa’s winter months. Each patrol vehicle is equipped with a bin that contains hats, mitts, and scarves. All officers in the SCU watch out for people in need of these items. Whether they are on transit property, a city street or elsewhere we will stop and provide them with items gathered ". The SCU takes donations, but a few officers have reached into their own wallets to purchase winter clothing.

As our patrol comes to an end, we make our way back to the Special Constable headquarters to close out our shift.

21:45 - Post Patrol Debriefing

At the end of our shift, we debrief on what was encountered and record notes in order to prepare the next platoon and equip them with the latest information as they set out to keep our transit system safe.

When asked about his experience, Councillor Gower shared, “I can’t believe how quickly this shift went by and the range of issues and volume of calls we attended to.”

While Councillor Gower was familiar with the Special Constable Unit, we asked him what he learnt during his patrol, “I did not realize how many roles our Special Constables play. They police our transit system, they act as social workers connecting vulnerable residents with support services, and they act as customer service.”

Councillor Gower continued, “I have a great appreciation for the wide range of responsibilities our Special Constables undertake across the vast area that our transit system spans. I thought we would be visiting a few stations and trains, but we covered a lot of ground over a short period of time. I have a great appreciation for our Special Constables and the work they do to keep our transit system safe around the clock.”

To learn more about OC Transpo’s Special Constables Unit, visit our website here.

Let us know

Did you enjoy this story? Do you have a question for our Special Constables? Let us know by emailing thenextstopblog@ottawa.ca.