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Jurisdiction, Mandate & Authority

Where we serve

Transit Police is the only dedicated police service in Canada focused on reducing crime and disorderly behavior in and around the public transportation system in the Lower Mainland of BC. Patrolling 148 km of rail, 63 stations, 2,000 buses and 245 bus routes, we serve 22 diverse communities and one First Nation.

Transit Police ensure transit community safety and security on:

  • SkyTrain & Canada Line with 79 kms of guideway and 55 stations

  • West Coast Express with 69 kms of track and eight stations

  • Coast Mountain Bus with 1800 square kms of bus service that includes 245 routes

  • SeaBus with three ferries traveling between downtown Vancouver and North Vancouver

  • Bridges owned and controlled by TransLink
A dog handler and her explosive detection dog walk along a West Coast Express train as the dog sniffs the train

The transit network is in a state of growth, and that brings an increased demand for Transit Police service. The fully approved and funded Broadway Subway extension will add 6 kms of rail and 5 new stations by 2027. The Surrey Langley SkyTrain, approved by the Mayors Council and partially funded, will add 16 kms of rail and 8 stations.

Our patrols are mostly focused on light rail systems but we investigate transit-related crime throughout the Lower Mainland.

Transit Police works collaboratively with each of the jurisdictional police departments in order to provide seamless policing across communities.

How we serve

We are committed to providing safety and security for everyone who uses or works on and around public transit. Our community-based policing approach is the cornerstone of the Transit Police strategy.

Beat-style policing allows us to build partnerships and foster relationships with passengers, transit staff, community and government partners and the region’s jurisdictional police partners.

These relationships are integral to our ability to deliver on our four Operational Priorities:

Our authority

Transit Police officers are provincially designated police officers, which means they have full police powers 24/7, on and off duty – the same as municipal police officers in British Columbia. Their authority is primarily transit property or transit-related incidents. But, as fully-qualified police officers, Transit Police officers are required to act when they come across an incident, no matter where it occurs in British Columbia, especially in order to protect life or property.

Video: Our role in the community

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