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Kaminski, who has decades of experience working in the police tactical and gang suppression units, said much of the training for officers involves using as little force as possible to de-escalate situations.

“We’ve become everything for everybody,” he said. “We’re going to people that are drug addicts, we’re going to people with mental-health issues (and) criminals we deal with traditionally.

“It’s concerning because the numbers (of assaults) are rising. And that means the chances are that as a police officer, you’re probably going to become involved in a physical altercation. And they don’t always turn out well.”

Over the past five years, the number of assaults on Calgary police officers has jumped by 17 per cent — but they aren’t the only ones who have seen the spike.

Police agencies across Canada have reported an increase of nearly 22 per cent over the past five years, according to Statistics Canada. In 2018 alone, 11,627 assaults against peace officers nationwide were reported.

Calgary Transit public safety officers are also facing an increasingly dangerous work environment, reporting a nine per cent increase in assaults on them in the past five years.

Last year saw 17 assaults on transit officers, a 30 per cent increase compared to 2017.

The number has caught the eye of Calgary Transit’s public safety and enforcement Supt. Brian Whitelaw.

“We’re always concerned about the conditions that these officers may face out on the transit system,” Whitelaw said. “Some of the difficult people out there, their aggression turns toward a law enforcement official when they’re challenged with having to either comply with the direction, or comply with an order.”