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P.A. city council to address taxi safety

Dec 28, 2017 | 4:00 PM

Discussions surrounding ways to better protect cab drivers in Prince Albert, may come to a head in the New Year.

paNOW learned the city is drafting a report, with the help of local companies, recommending cameras be installed in all taxi cabs.

Checker/ Family Taxi Owner Pardeep Kumar provided input for the report and said his drivers are being targetted.

“In the last two months there have been 15 incidents,” he said. 

Kumar said there have been two instances where the cab’s debit machine was taken which would have provided no benefit to the thief. 

“And before that somebody pulled a knife on a driver and got his cellphone and cash, and the driver had to run away from the car,” Kumar said.

On Boxing Day a cab driver, parked in the 1200 blk. of 28th St. E. was threatened by a woman with a knife. The cab driver wrestled with the woman and got the knife away but suffered minor cuts to his hands and face in the process. The woman was arrested.

Kumar said he believes having cameras in the taxis will make a difference. Prince Albert Mayor Greg Dionne met with him to discuss the concerns.

‘They actually had a whole list of solutions for us but after discussions we think the cameras will work so we are going to do that as a first step and if the problem continues on we will look at other alternatives,” Dionne said.

Preliminary discussions on a new bylaw were started in June at city council and concerns raised at that time by Ward 6 Counc. Blake Edwards. Dionne said he likes the fact the cab companies have come to him asking for help. Dionne said a report will come to council as early as January, recommending all cabs be equipped with video surveillance.

“That will help not only the cab company but also help the police in their future investigations so if there’s an incident they can look at the video and take action,” Dionne said.

 

nigel.maxwell@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @nigelmaxwell