The Winnipeg Police Service (WPS) says a focused policing initiative on the city’s transit system has led to notable declines in crime.
The Winnipeg Transit Violent Crime Intervention Strategy, which ran from September 17 to December 31, 2025, aimed to improve safety for transit riders and operators using high-visibility policing, targeted enforcement, and proactive presence on buses, in transit corridors and at bus stops.
The strategy was launched in response to a growing number of violent incidents taking place on and around the Winnipeg Transit System.
During this 15-week project, violent crimes decreased by 18.2 percent and property crimes dropped by 15.2 percent compared to the same period in 2024.
In this time, assigned officers engaged 442 separate times in various ways, resulting in 12 Criminal Code arrests, 98 fare evasion enforcements, 143 hours riding on buses, 101 hours on foot at bus stops and other transit locations, and 36 hours of marked cruiser car patrols.
Calls for police service from Winnipeg Transit also dropped, with 1,044 reports during the initiative, compared to 1,259 in 2024, a 17.1 percent decrease.
Although statistics show a downward trend, the Winnipeg Police Service says there is still significant work that needs to be done.
Officers from divisional Community Support Units and Foot Patrol Units will remain actively involved in daily transit patrols, ensuring a visible presence for riders and operators.
“Everyone, riders, operators, and transit staff, deserve and have a right to safety,” said the Winnipeg Police Service. “Violent and disruptive conduct will not be tolerated. This initiative is rooted in prevention and protection, aiming to foster a transit system that is welcoming, reliable, and secure for all Winnipeggers.”