I was using drugs as a proxy for minor offences on the TTC. Minor offences scarcely make it to trial. Public urination and people injecting themselves on TTC vehicles aren't necessarily criminal code offences either (unless they're charged as mischief, a can of worms I really don't want to open).
I don't know if you listen to the TTC radio scanner, but trespassers at track level are usually just let go nowadays. Unless someone is actively threatening public safety, as an officer, it's better not to intervene in minor offences.
Anyways, let's do a thought experiment. From the following list of offences, could prioritize from first to last which case should be heard by the courts:
- A man lights a woman on fire while on a TTC bus, the woman ends up dying in hospital a couple weeks later.
- Two teenagers doing lines of coke on a TTC streetcar.
- A homeless person urinating next to a trash can.
- A college student jumps over a fare-gate.
- A maid walks into a fare-paid area via a bus platform without paying their fare.
- An artist does acid at the end of a subway platform and decides to go on an adventure at track level.
- A teenager subway surfs on top of a subway car.
- An unkempt person openly drinks alcohol and yells loudly while on the TTC.
- A food delivery cyclist damages a fare gate while entering with their bike.
If you're reading this, I'd be mildly surprised if the drug-related offences found their way to the bottom of your list.
Only one in this list that is actually important:
- A man lights a woman on fire while on a TTC bus, the woman ends up dying in hospital a couple weeks later.
These should be looked at if there's time, but, could be handled in installing platform doors instead.
- An artist does acid at the end of a subway platform and decides to go on an adventure at track level.
- A teenager subway surfs on top of a subway car.
We should not waste our time with:
- Two teenagers doing lines of coke on a TTC streetcar.
- A homeless person urinating next to a trash can.
- A college student jumps over a fare-gate.
- A maid walks into a fare-paid area via a bus platform without paying their fare.
- An unkempt person openly drinks alcohol and yells loudly while on the TTC.
- A food delivery cyclist damages a fare gate while entering with their bike.
On this one, I feel the need to split the difference.
I agree, only the top item should ever really require time before a court.
However, I would disagree with the implication that these items should be met with indifference or inaction. They aren't acceptable behaviors and do merit some form of intervention/sanction.
- Two teenagers doing lines of coke on a TTC streetcar.
Sanction: removal from public transit, must produce ID, written warning, repeat behavior, transit ban, violation of ban, charge with criminal trespass.
- A homeless person urinating next to a trash can.
Sanction: Welfare check, ID production if possible, education on the location of washrooms, referral to mental health/support services, if appropriate; repeat behavior, compulsory system removal, 72-hour psych-hold, with possible compulsory treatment, subject to legal due process.
- A college student jumps over a fare-gate.
Sanction: First offense, produce ID, warning; repeat offense, ticket, if ticket not paid within 30 days, transit ban, on system while under ban, criminal trespass charge.
- A maid walks into a fare-paid area via a bus platform without paying their fare.
Sanction: First offense, produce ID, warning; repeat offense, ticket, if ticket not paid within 30 days, transit ban, on system while under ban, criminal trespass charge.
- An unkempt person openly drinks alcohol and yells loudly while on the TTC.
Sanction: compulsory involvement of mental health and supportive housing staff, removal from system while disruptive, possible psychiatric hold/'drunk tank' ; no charges if cooperative.
- A food delivery cyclist damages a fare gate while entering with their bike.
Sanction: Depends on determination of wilful fault. If accident, let it go. But take info. Make sure person educated on how to enter system with a bike w/o damaging bike or fare gate. Repeat problem, legal assessment for damage repair. Non-payment, transit ban enforced by criminal trespass charge.
Platform edge doors aren't going to prevent the situation at St. George, which was a pair of "urban explorers" who thought it might be fun to check out Lower Bay in the middle of the day.
