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GO Transit hiring safety officers. Starts $35.24/hr

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  • Oct 18th, 2018 4:56 pm
Deal Fanatic
Jul 13, 2012
8501 posts
1053 upvotes
Occupied Ottawa
Comm wrote: Very well put;

To those who think they are "mall cops". They are in fact sworn in as Special Constables with the OPP and as such have powers of police whilst on duty and in relation to any Metrolinx property; they can enforce both Federal (Criminal Code) and Provincial (POA) legislation. They should not be mistaken as Security Guards or Fare Inspectors....

Great stepping stone for anyone who wants to go into policing; When I went through the Police College there were about 15-20 recruits who were former Special Constables with various agencies (one was a former TSO with GO).

Very undervalued job, lot of us in policing wonder how some of the Transit guys or TCHC guys do it day in and day out. Having patrolled some rough streets at night and responding to robberies, knife fights and gun calls at or near transit areas, I would definitely not go into any of those calls without a firearm and or taser. These gals and girls are going in without a gun or taser as such they definitely deserve the benefits they receive.

Although I should think GO should rename the TSO title to something along the lines of what the TTC or YRT has, but that's another discussion.
It is very unlikely that they are expected to knowingly respond to a knife or gun call. I realize that they do important work, but it is not policing and the above is one reason why it's not.

Special constables are to police what nurse practitioners are to doctors. They may have some of the powers and duties of doctors, but it's still not the same job.
Deal Addict
Nov 22, 2009
2782 posts
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Toronto
Comm wrote: Very well put;

To those who think they are "mall cops". They are in fact sworn in as Special Constables with the OPP and as such have powers of police whilst on duty and in relation to any Metrolinx property; they can enforce both Federal (Criminal Code) and Provincial (POA) legislation. They should not be mistaken as Security Guards or Fare Inspectors....

Great stepping stone for anyone who wants to go into policing; When I went through the Police College there were about 15-20 recruits who were former Special Constables with various agencies (one was a former TSO with GO).

Very undervalued job, lot of us in policing wonder how some of the Transit guys or TCHC guys do it day in and day out. Having patrolled some rough streets at night and responding to robberies, knife fights and gun calls at or near transit areas, I would definitely not go into any of those calls without a firearm and or taser. These gals and girls are going in without a gun or taser as such they definitely deserve the benefits they receive.

Although I should think GO should rename the TSO title to something along the lines of what the TTC or YRT has, but that's another discussion.
All public sector jobs are undervalued jobs. Especially the ones RFD members are doing.
Deal Fanatic
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Aug 3, 2006
5351 posts
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Those are minimal requirements in the job ad. It doesn't mean that they'll hiring someone who can meet the minimal requirements like RFD posters. Like any job posting, they'll likely bring in the most qualified applicants which I'd guess would be experienced police officers looking for something low stress.
Banned
Dec 28, 2015
614 posts
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Westmount, QC
This salary is kind of low for a special Constable.

Thought they'll be paid better than this
Jr. Member
Nov 20, 2016
175 posts
165 upvotes
UrbanPoet wrote: To be fair... it is police work.
Go transit security are special constables. Thus they are sworn peace officers who have limited police powers.

They are expected to arrest and detain people for illegal activities on go transit property. Also they have the rights to enforce the criminal code on go transit property.

They have rights given to them that ordinary citizens do not posess. For example they can carry oc (pepper) spray. Also with such they can arrest and detain on reasonable grounds, which security guards cannot do. A security guard has extremely limited powers of citizens arrest. Thats not the case with go transit security.

They actually have to pass the same test/qualifications that a police officer must pass.

http://www.gotransit.com/public/en/abou ... fault.aspx


As you can see an oacp is required.

They're looking for cops without a gun... so there is a high degree of qualification and work involved... imagine arresting a cocaine dealer outside union station. Or breaking up a knife fight.
A security guard can run away and call the cops... a special constable has a sworn duty to step in (with only pepper spray and a stick).

And the work isnt easy (it only lookslike it). As you can see demonstrated in this thread... no one respects transity security officers let alone security officers in general. Few mnkw they are sworn peace officers and assumes themunder derogatory terms like "mall cop".
Now imagine some ruffian who gets a $300 ticket for not paying his fare.
"Youre just a mall cop fck off! You have no right to give me a ticket".
Then he takes a swipe at him bc its only a "mall cop" and he likes getting into fights for fun...
Now go transit officer has to arrest him for punching him. Meanwhile the guy screams "help help you have no right to handcuff me"
Mean while 40 people gather around taking videos screaming "let him go you have no right to arrest him youre just a mall cop!"

This is what transit special constables have to go through...
This is a law enforcement job. I bet if magically I was able to automatically give this job to anyone in this thread... that 99.9 % of you would get fired the first week. Thats after pissing your pants after one confrontation...
I put 99.9% incase anyone in this thread is an aspiring/former/current police officer, or someone with military background, or just a tough guy. But common... See how cool you would be if you walked in on a knife fight.
Thank you for such a well-reasoned and balanced response. Such a welcome relief from the knee-jerk posts you typically see on this forum when discussing anything remotely related to public service
Deal Addict
Nov 22, 2009
2782 posts
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Toronto
Hanniballs wrote: Thank you for such a well-reasoned and balanced response. Such a welcome relief from the knee-jerk posts you typically see on this forum when discussing anything remotely related to public service
When you see all those "how to get into public sector" threads in this forum, you don't need to be a genius to know that public sector jobs are low-stressed, "decent" pay, and has higher stability than private sector jobs. I used to work in non-profit fully government-funded for a year and I can tell you it's super chill. Many of the employees there are always on Youtube/shopping sites. If client comes in, just work for 1/2 hour and return back to relaxation mode.
Deal Addict
Nov 22, 2009
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Toronto
isgaard wrote: Not going to go in details but your argument is full of fallacies, and addressing it would make me stoop to your ultra low dungeon level so I'm not going to go there!
Look at the amount of posts in those "how to get into public sector" threads....don't tell me there are that many people looking to get into public sector due to low pay and high stress.
Deal Expert
User avatar
Jan 27, 2004
52935 posts
18144 upvotes
ONTARIO
ConsoleWatcher wrote: They are peace officers with limited police authority but their are still significant differences between their job and a police officer's.

You mention them intervening in a knife fight instead of running away. Peace officer or not, they would not be expected (and likely not permitted by policy) to interfene in a knife fight as they are unarmed. You don't bring a stick and spray to a knife fight, you being a gun. In Ontario, the oath a special constable takes is different than the one a police officer takes; the former doesn't have the "duty to prevent all crimes" part as special constables don't have the same training or equipment police have.
They are Also trained in use of force model and techniques.

Im not saying theyre going to jump in and king fu kick the knife/gun out of their hands... or football charge in with pepper spray squirting everywhere and their baton swinging like babe ruth.

But at the least they evacuate bystanders from the area. in this day and age keep them from getting to close for a selfie or world star hiphop video. Control the area so no randoms get involved and only police/medic can come in.
Also deescalate the situation through communication.
Most fights start as an arguement gone too far... they might have knifes out to try and talk big. If they know a special constable is there with cops on the way they might just settle down before its a bigger charge.

"You dont have to do this man. If you two drop the knife its only a weapon charge... maybe only public disturbance if you get lucky!! ... one step further and you get assault!!! Is that worth it to you man!?"

"Screw you pig! This guy owes me money! Im gonna shank him so bad, he gonna wish i never shank 'em!"

"I don't owe you nuttin, imma shank you too!"

"Dont dooo itttt!! You have your whole life ahead you!"
Deal Fanatic
Jul 12, 2008
6048 posts
1945 upvotes
GTA
There are metrolinx/Go transit bus drivers on the sunshine list but mainly due to overtime/extra hours. I would assume that first of all this is just the starting wage for this role and that you would make more due to extra hours/overtime.
Deal Addict
Dec 30, 2005
3246 posts
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gqbluez wrote: $80k to start is a great salary but I wonder what the career growth aspects are once taking this job. I'd be happy with $80k for a couple years but I'd want to figure out how to grow that number and not just through union mandated raises.

The way that people with income are taxed in this province $80k won't stretch that far.
You can grow within...Sergeant -->System Safety, etc...lots of room to move around.
Banned
Dec 28, 2015
614 posts
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Westmount, QC
blitzforce wrote: Look at the amount of posts in those "how to get into public sector" threads....don't tell me there are that many people looking to get into public sector due to low pay and high stress.
There are threads for every sector on here...from min wage jobs to accounting to consultant

The sad fact is, it's mostly marginal employable people hoping to get something. Those with employable skills don't hang out on a forum of borderline psychopaths to ask for career advice lol
Deal Addict
Nov 22, 2009
2782 posts
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Toronto
MrWhiteCoffee wrote: There are threads for every sector on here...from min wage jobs to accounting to consultant

The sad fact is, it's mostly marginal employable people hoping to get something. Those with employable skills don't hang out on a forum of borderline psychopaths to ask for career advice lol
There are threads for various jobs but public sector related ones has the most views, and they are the only ones where you will see people saying they are not high stressed and low pay jobs with outsourcing potential.
Deal Fanatic
Jul 13, 2012
8501 posts
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Occupied Ottawa
MrWhiteCoffee wrote: There are threads for every sector on here...from min wage jobs to accounting to consultant

The sad fact is, it's mostly marginal employable people hoping to get something. Those with employable skills don't hang out on a forum of borderline psychopaths to ask for career advice lol
Those with employable skills use every resource to their advantage, including but not limited to RFD.
Newbie
Jan 7, 2009
28 posts
29 upvotes
Toronto
ConsoleWatcher wrote: It is very unlikely that they are expected to knowingly respond to a knife or gun call. I realize that they do important work, but it is not policing and the above is one reason why it's not.

Special constables are to police what nurse practitioners are to doctors. They may have some of the powers and duties of doctors, but it's still not the same job.
Up to agency specific requirements; I've booked a suspect in for TCHC. The two TCHC Special Constables who were unarmed went in for a call about a disruptive male, found the male outside the hallway to be agitated... needless to say when TCHC brought him back to my station, the male was being violent.

Parliament hill shooting; Protective Services was still an unarmed Special Constable force; Samearn SON who was a S/Cst. went towards the gunfire, got shot in the process. It was due to the shootings that the Special Constable force went to being an armed Special Constable force (one of four agencies that I know of).

You are right, it's not policing because they aren't classified to the same title that I'm afforded. It's a very grey area, an argument can be made that what certain S/Cst. agencies do is very similar to what policing, which is why most if not all Special Constable positions require you to either have a COR or have some type of law enforcement educational background as a minimum standard.
Deal Fanatic
Jul 13, 2012
8501 posts
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Occupied Ottawa
Comm wrote: Up to agency specific requirements; I've booked a suspect in for TCHC. The two TCHC Special Constables who were unarmed went in for a call about a disruptive male, found the male outside the hallway to be agitated... needless to say when TCHC brought him back to my station, the male was being violent.

Parliament hill shooting; Protective Services was still an unarmed Special Constable force; Samearn SON who was a S/Cst. went towards the gunfire, got shot in the process. It was due to the shootings that the Special Constable force went to being an armed Special Constable force (one of four agencies that I know of).

You are right, it's not policing because they aren't classified to the same title that I'm afforded. It's a very grey area, an argument can be made that what certain S/Cst. agencies do is very similar to what policing, which is why most if not all Special Constable positions require you to either have a COR or have some type of law enforcement educational background as a minimum standard.
Yes, the TCHC special constables have to deal with potentially violent individuals. However, if the person had a weapon, they would be expected to retreat and call police.

The Parliament Hill protective services guards weren't special constables and aren't now either (their use of the title "constable" is more of a historic, traditional thing that has nothing to do with a modern police constable's role or authority. The guard who was shot didn't run toward the gunfire; he was standing guard at the entrance when the shooter came in. He tried to wrestle the gun away and was shot.
Deal Fanatic
May 31, 2007
5018 posts
2175 upvotes
How likely is it for someone to get this job without being a former police officer?

I met one Special Constable who said he worked RCMP for over 20 years..

Seems like some cops would take this job with less responsibility and stress.
Deal Addict
Dec 30, 2005
3246 posts
1807 upvotes
Jungle wrote: How likely is it for someone to get this job without being a former police officer?

I met one Special Constable who said he worked RCMP for over 20 years..

Seems like some cops would take this job with less responsibility and stress.
if you pass the necessary tests and requirements, i don't see why not? Never hurts to try.

A provincial government job, good pension...why not?
Banned
Dec 28, 2015
614 posts
239 upvotes
Westmount, QC
yyz2hkg wrote: if you pass the necessary tests and requirements, i don't see why not? Never hurts to try.

A provincial government job, good pension...why not?

Shift work and low ceiling and don't get benefits of a cop
Newbie
Feb 4, 2014
28 posts
1 upvote
Markham
Comm wrote: Up to agency specific requirements; I've booked a suspect in for TCHC. The two TCHC Special Constables who were unarmed went in for a call about a disruptive male, found the male outside the hallway to be agitated... needless to say when TCHC brought him back to my station, the male was being violent.

Parliament hill shooting; Protective Services was still an unarmed Special Constable force; Samearn SON who was a S/Cst. went towards the gunfire, got shot in the process. It was due to the shootings that the Special Constable force went to being an armed Special Constable force (one of four agencies that I know of).

You are right, it's not policing because they aren't classified to the same title that I'm afforded. It's a very grey area, an argument can be made that what certain S/Cst. agencies do is very similar to what policing, which is why most if not all Special Constable positions require you to either have a COR or have some type of law enforcement educational background as a minimum standard.
Can attest to the risk that housing S/Csts face during their daily duties. I supervise the third party security that housing has contracted for the highest profile sites, we work very closely with housing S/Csts. I'm not saying that we have the same responsibilities or do the same job (cc 494 vs 495), but we are often the first ones to attend a call and then wait for S/Csts or TPS for back up; all of this for less than half of their wages. I'm not complaining, I'm only in this for the experience. But it serves to show you guys that there's a hierarchy to this. If S/Csts were paid any less, it would be hard to justify security vs peace officer, not to mention taking a huge toll on morale. They are being paid what they deserve, if not even less.

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