'Trending in the right direction': Violent crime on Calgary transit down to start 2024 after an increase last year
Violent attacks on Calgary transit spiked last year but recently there seems to be a promising shift in the trend.
Overall last year, violent crime on transit was up 15 per cent compared to the previous year, according to Calgary Police Service data acquired by CTV News.
The beginning of 2023 was particularly violent, including a shooting on a city bus and stabbings on CTrain platforms, but the beginning of 2024 saw violent crime on transit decrease 38 per cent compared to the same period last year.
“We’re trending in the right direction,” said Scott Boyd, superintendent patrol of the south division with the Calgary Police Service.
Between January and March of 2024, there were 55 assaults on Calgary transit, including a random attack on a Calgary teen.
Jacob Giraldo Mejia’s face swelling was nearly gone a month after he was sucker-punched by a stranger while getting off a city bus downtown, but the 17-year-old still recalls those first days after the March 16 attack.
“Pretty, pretty bad. I could only drink soup from a straw at the beginning,” he said.
He needed surgery on his jaw and has had to miss school since.
The man charged with attacking Giraldo Mejia was “known to police”.
Along with violent crimes, Calgary police say calls for service, property crime, theft and drug-related offences on transit are also down significantly compared to this time last year.
Trending down
The number of assaults on city transit is down from last year when there were 71 between January and March of 2023.
“Violent crime is the piece that often hits people the hardest, right? It's a big violation of their personal space, and at times seems so random,” said Supt. Boyd.
The latest decrease may be linked to security changes.
“We’ve dispersed the officers through the city, to a northeast district, and downtown district and a southwest district,” said Marcia Gonder, deputy chief of safety with Calgary Transit.
In January, Calgary Transit went from one to three district hubs and 65 more transit officers patrolling the system.
“We’re seeing a decrease by 21 per cent in social disorder and a decrease by 64 per cent in the amount of people who are sheltering in place at stations,” said Gondek.
“I think Calgarians are seeing more of our officers out there and seeing the collaboration with our law enforcement officers.”
“They have ramped up security on the train so for me, I feel safer now,” said transit user Syed Rasul.
There are also 25 more police officers with an eye on transit.
“We’ve asked them to take a proactive approach to targeting what we call high system users,” said Boyd.
New groups called SMART (Social Mental Health and Addiction Referral Team) and “Action Table” partner with other agencies to provide rapid access to services and support for those at risk of crisis.
Giraldo Mejia is optimistic about the new measures meant to deter violence.
“For me, it has been a drastic change so hopefully it doesn’t happen to as many people,” said Giraldo Mejia.
He is preparing to return to school and go back to eating solid food.
He was worried that missing a whole month of his senior year might set back his schooling, but now thinks he may be able to graduate this spring as planned.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
From AI running wild to collapsing ecosystems, government report outlines future disruptions
From artificial intelligence running wild to collapsing ecosystems, a new Canadian government report outlines 35 disruptions that could rattle the country in the near future.
B.C. serial killer Robert Pickton hospitalized after prison attack
British Columbia serial killer Robert Pickton was attacked and sustained life-threatening injuries in a Quebec prison Sunday in what officials described as a 'major assault.'
opinion Tom Mulcair: With Trudeau spiralling, Mark Carney waits in the wings
In his latest column for CTVNews.ca, former NDP leader Tom Mulcair argues that if there's an unofficial frontrunner in the eventual race to replace Justin Trudeau as Liberal leader, it has to be former Bank of Canada governor Mark Carney.
Toronto Blue Jays fan struck by 110 m.p.h foul ball offered tickets, signed baseball by team
The Toronto Blue Jays have offered tickets and a signed baseball to a fan who says she was struck in the face by a 110 m.p.h (177 km/h) foul ball at Friday’s game.
Matthew Perry's death is being investigated over ketamine level found in actor's blood, reports say
An investigation has been opened into the death of Matthew Perry and how the “Friends” actor received the anesthetic ketamine, which was ruled a contributing factor in his death.
OPP continues to investigate boat collision north of Kingston, Ont. that left 3 people dead
Ontario Provincial Police continue to investigate a long weekend fatal boat collision on Bobs Lake, north of Kingston, Ont.
Police in Ontario say suspects charged in armed home invasion near Toronto part of 'larger criminal network'
Police in Ontario say a group of suspects charged in an armed home invasion north of Toronto last year were driving a vehicle stolen in a carjacking in Calgary just one month earlier.
Stolen septic truck swerves through traffic, spike belt needed to stop it: Manitoba RCMP
A 29-year-old woman has been charged after police say she stole a septic truck from a Manitoba community and drove erratically on the highway.
Orphan orca's extended family spotted off northeast side of Vancouver Island
Members of a killer whale pod related to an orphan orca calf that escaped a remote British Columbia tidal lagoon last month have been spotted off the northeast coast of Vancouver Island.