The
South Coast British Columbia Transportation Authority Police Service (SCBCTAPS) (commonly referred to as
Transit Police Service, formerly
Greater Vancouver Transportation Authority Police Service) is the police force for
TransLink, the
public transit system of the
Metro Vancouver area of
British Columbia,
Canada. Formed in December 2005, the SCBCTAPS is the only urban public
transit police force in Canada who are police officers with full
peace officers status and armed on duty. SCBCTAPS is a supplementary police agency with the jurisdictional police agency retaining primary responsibility for policing in each jurisdiction they serve.
SCBCTAPS Officers can enforce all
Criminal Code of Canada infractions in British Columbia, however, they focus their efforts primarily on protecting the safety and security of passengers, employees and property of Metro Vancouver's transit system, operated by TransLink.
SCBCTAPS partners with local municipal police forces and
Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) in enforcing laws in the Metro Vancouver region. If requested, SCBCTAPS officers will also respond to emergencies outside of TransLink properties as would other municipal police forces.
The name change was made pursuant to the
Greater Vancouver Transportation Authority Amendment Act 2007, effective November 30, 2007. However, references to SCBCTAPS as GVTAPS will continue to have legal effect.
History
TransLink had police forces in the
Lower Mainland...
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