Since Laoagan’s death, Calgary Transit has taken the following measures:

Ӣ Opened a new security office at the Centre Street C-Train station, as part of planned improvements.
Ӣ Started a safety education campaign.
Ӣ Installed a new surveillance camera at the Franklin LRT station south parking lot, as part of a previous plan to deter car thieves.
Ӣ Hired eight transit officers, bringing the total to 70. Launched a 90-day pilot project for teams of transit officers and Calgary police to patrol the northeast leg of the LRT.

“Our RFP is now out for the upgrade of CCTV through the whole transit system. We’re moving to an IP-based CCTV system with lots of growth and flexibility, adding new cameras to pick up the blind spots and enhance what we’re doing,” says Bolli.

Calgary Transit is looking at a networked-based, on-the-edge recording system. 

“We are going to be overhauling how many cameras are at each station and increasing numbers at some of the older stations to make sure have all areas covered. As a result of having more cameras the City will have more traffic and more recording. “We want to go with an edge-type system and get it back to a central area for when it’s needed.”

Bolli says the goal is to have better information coming from the CCTV system. 

“We want to see what’s going on, see where to send our peace officers and be able to provide them back up protection in the event of situations. We can’t do that right now; we have limited coverage and that’s why we’re doing this big upgrade,” he says.

In the next few years the west LRT is also coming on line — a whole new line west of the city from the downtown which is another big driver to upgrading existing systems. 

And as Bolli points out, the challenge is to pick technology that will integrate with the old and the new as it is brought on line.