TRANSIT POLICE MARK HALF YEAR

The region's new Transit Police arrested nearly 350 wanted suspects on
outstanding warrants - some for murder - in the first six months
of the year.

Mid-year statistics were released last week by the Greater Vancouver
Transportation Authority Police Service.

Warrant arrests are one of the officers' new roles since the service
was revamped last December and issued guns and expanded arrest powers.

The majority of the 25,100 offences recorded by the service in the
first half of the year were for tickets issued to SkyTrain passengers
who rode without paying the fare, or for liquor violations.

Arrests were also made for criminal offences ranging from possession
of stolen property to vandalism.

Transit Police officers also made more than 180 drug busts and charged
60 suspects, the report said.

Most arrests were for possession of less than 30 grams of marijuana.
There were also 20 cocaine seizures, 19 of hashish and five of heroin.

Chief Officer Robert Kind noted some arrests were made off SkyTrain
property - constables have only had that power for six months.

Kind said the force is hiring new recruits as it expands to prepare
for the opening of the Canada Line to Richmond and the Evergreen Line
to the northeast.

Kind is working with federal officials to bolster transportation
security.

"The transit police service is well positioned to be part of
anti-terrorism initiatives," Kind said in his report.