The Calgary LRT's quality has declined in recent years, with many people seeing homelessness, drug addiction, and violent crime on the transit system. .Calgary's LRT resembles the Edmonton LRT, where people are scared of taking it. One Edmonton resident said January 6 he will start to carry bear spray because of the social disorder on the system. .READ MORE: Edmonton resident to carry bear spray for safety while riding LRT.That social disorder contributed to the Alberta Sheriffs being deployed into downtown Edmonton February 1 to try and get a handle on it. While Edmonton’s problems are being addressed, Calgary appears to be lagging behind. .READ MORE: UCP deploys sheriffs to downtown Edmonton to try and stop public disorder.A few Calgary residents told the Western Standard they feel uncomfortable taking the Calgary LRT. They said they want action to be taken to ensure it's safer. .Here are three people who have witnessed social disorder on the Calgary LRT. . Calgary LRT 2Sheldon Lawson said the the last few years have seen the Calgary LRT become progressively worse. .Matthew Gagnon .Calgary resident Matthew Gagnon said he has witnessed people smoking drugs at City Hall Station. .“I’m not too sure exactly what, but it’s pretty brazen,” said Gagnon in an interview. .He said the drug addicts are not violent. Once they're using the drugs, he said they're passing out and flopping over. .Addicts have begged him for money. He said he has “never felt unsafe, just uncomfortable.” .Gagnon said he's spoken with Calgary Transit officers before, and they have not responded. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, he said he would see officers checking tickets once per week. .He has seen garbage, needles, and the tinfoil addicts use to smoke their drugs from lying on the ground. He said he looks at the disorder as a "who is going to help these people situation.” .“If we don’t do anything about people smoking drugs in public and petty crime, they’re going to get used to it and then they’ll do something else,” he said. .“A crime is a crime.” . Calgary LRT 3Calgary LRT riders have complained they feel unsafe. .Anand Unnithan .Calgary resident Anand Unnithan said he's seen homelessness, drug use, and fights on the Calgary LRT. .“It will be a group of a couple people who are fighting homelessness adding to the scariness altogether,” said Unnithan. .He said he ignores the addicts when he encounters them. He tries to change cars or gets off the LRT when he sees them. .The Calgary resident went on to say how safe he feels depends on the day. If there are no officers around to deal with the social disorder, he said he feels “scared and takes precautionary measures.” .Unnithan said he sees one or two people every day smoking drugs on the train. The fights he's observed involve people throwing punches and kicks at each other with multiple bystanders. .He requested more officers on board the LRT. He said there should be security guards "with the authority to take on drug charges." .“It’s important to the people who rely on public transit to get places,” he said. .“It’s one of the convenient methods rather than spending the huge money on gas and stuff.” .Sheldon Lawson .Calgary resident Sheldon Lawson said he's been riding the Calgary LRT since 2013, and it was good back in the day. .“Last few years, it has been getting progressively worse,” said Lawson. .“I have seen transit cops not ask for any pass for the last six months or more, and one day there was eight people passed out on the train.” .He said the Calgary Transit officers walked past him and woke each homeless person up, saying to make sure they got off at the end of the line. The officers left the LRT soon after. .Lawson continued by saying the smell was so bad in a car one day “transit cops made the whole car move to another car and then locked that one to prevent anyone from riding.” He said he has seen one guy throw items at people in a car. .Officers went to haul him off, and the driver said he comes back on all the time. Since riding Calgary Transit, he said this is “the first year that I was so on edge that I moved cars.” .“I worked at one time one of the toughest bars in Saskatchewan, and this seems worse at times,” he said. .The Alberta government said Tuesday Alberta Sheriffs will reinforce Calgary police patrols in high-crime areas as part of an initiative created by the Calgary Public Safety and Community Response Task Force..READ MORE: Province deploys sheriffs in Calgary’s inner city .A 12-week pilot partnership between the Alberta Sheriffs and Calgary police will begin in late February to help deter and respond to crime and social disorder in the city.."This initiative increases public safety by putting more eyes and ears in neighbourhoods where they’re needed and creates a more visible officer presence that will help deter crime while connecting vulnerable Albertans to the supports they need,” said Public Safety and Emergency Services Minister Mike Ellis.
The Calgary LRT's quality has declined in recent years, with many people seeing homelessness, drug addiction, and violent crime on the transit system. .Calgary's LRT resembles the Edmonton LRT, where people are scared of taking it. One Edmonton resident said January 6 he will start to carry bear spray because of the social disorder on the system. .READ MORE: Edmonton resident to carry bear spray for safety while riding LRT.That social disorder contributed to the Alberta Sheriffs being deployed into downtown Edmonton February 1 to try and get a handle on it. While Edmonton’s problems are being addressed, Calgary appears to be lagging behind. .READ MORE: UCP deploys sheriffs to downtown Edmonton to try and stop public disorder.A few Calgary residents told the Western Standard they feel uncomfortable taking the Calgary LRT. They said they want action to be taken to ensure it's safer. .Here are three people who have witnessed social disorder on the Calgary LRT. . Calgary LRT 2Sheldon Lawson said the the last few years have seen the Calgary LRT become progressively worse. .Matthew Gagnon .Calgary resident Matthew Gagnon said he has witnessed people smoking drugs at City Hall Station. .“I’m not too sure exactly what, but it’s pretty brazen,” said Gagnon in an interview. .He said the drug addicts are not violent. Once they're using the drugs, he said they're passing out and flopping over. .Addicts have begged him for money. He said he has “never felt unsafe, just uncomfortable.” .Gagnon said he's spoken with Calgary Transit officers before, and they have not responded. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, he said he would see officers checking tickets once per week. .He has seen garbage, needles, and the tinfoil addicts use to smoke their drugs from lying on the ground. He said he looks at the disorder as a "who is going to help these people situation.” .“If we don’t do anything about people smoking drugs in public and petty crime, they’re going to get used to it and then they’ll do something else,” he said. .“A crime is a crime.” . Calgary LRT 3Calgary LRT riders have complained they feel unsafe. .Anand Unnithan .Calgary resident Anand Unnithan said he's seen homelessness, drug use, and fights on the Calgary LRT. .“It will be a group of a couple people who are fighting homelessness adding to the scariness altogether,” said Unnithan. .He said he ignores the addicts when he encounters them. He tries to change cars or gets off the LRT when he sees them. .The Calgary resident went on to say how safe he feels depends on the day. If there are no officers around to deal with the social disorder, he said he feels “scared and takes precautionary measures.” .Unnithan said he sees one or two people every day smoking drugs on the train. The fights he's observed involve people throwing punches and kicks at each other with multiple bystanders. .He requested more officers on board the LRT. He said there should be security guards "with the authority to take on drug charges." .“It’s important to the people who rely on public transit to get places,” he said. .“It’s one of the convenient methods rather than spending the huge money on gas and stuff.” .Sheldon Lawson .Calgary resident Sheldon Lawson said he's been riding the Calgary LRT since 2013, and it was good back in the day. .“Last few years, it has been getting progressively worse,” said Lawson. .“I have seen transit cops not ask for any pass for the last six months or more, and one day there was eight people passed out on the train.” .He said the Calgary Transit officers walked past him and woke each homeless person up, saying to make sure they got off at the end of the line. The officers left the LRT soon after. .Lawson continued by saying the smell was so bad in a car one day “transit cops made the whole car move to another car and then locked that one to prevent anyone from riding.” He said he has seen one guy throw items at people in a car. .Officers went to haul him off, and the driver said he comes back on all the time. Since riding Calgary Transit, he said this is “the first year that I was so on edge that I moved cars.” .“I worked at one time one of the toughest bars in Saskatchewan, and this seems worse at times,” he said. .The Alberta government said Tuesday Alberta Sheriffs will reinforce Calgary police patrols in high-crime areas as part of an initiative created by the Calgary Public Safety and Community Response Task Force..READ MORE: Province deploys sheriffs in Calgary’s inner city .A 12-week pilot partnership between the Alberta Sheriffs and Calgary police will begin in late February to help deter and respond to crime and social disorder in the city.."This initiative increases public safety by putting more eyes and ears in neighbourhoods where they’re needed and creates a more visible officer presence that will help deter crime while connecting vulnerable Albertans to the supports they need,” said Public Safety and Emergency Services Minister Mike Ellis.
