Calgary, AB,
20
February
2015
|
10:02
America/Denver

Senior City officials address sexual assault allegations

The Calgary Police Service has charged a Calgary Transit operator in connection with a sexual assault complaint alleged to have occurred a number of years ago with a person who was a minor at the time.

Calgary Transit is working closely with The Calgary Police Service.

This type of allegation is an extremely rare event for Calgary Transit. The employee in question is no longer working at The City of Calgary.

The City of Calgary employs professional transit operators who are expected to follow City policies, procedures, code of conduct, and a respectful workplace policy. The City is treating the matter seriously and is conducting its own internal investigation.

“Actions of these nature are not in keeping with the culture and high standards we hold for all of our employees,” said Jeff Fielding, Calgary’s City Manager. “We take this very seriously, and I have a genuine concern for everyone affected by this issue. How we perform our duties at work - under the scrutiny of citizens - should be respectful, honest and based on a culture of integrity. The public places a great deal of trust in us and we must always strive to serve Calgarians professionally.”

Behavioural policies, service training and performance systems is how The City of Calgary ensures its employees are measured to a high standard and held accountable for their actions.

Calgary Transit reacts swiftly to investigate complaints of any nature. New transit operators are all subject to police background checks before they are hired. The City of Calgary has an extensive selection and screening process which includes police/security clearance checks, background checks, reference checks and a rigorous behavioural interviewing process. Customer service and cultural sensitivity training is also a key component. To continue The City’s commitment to public safety, it recently instituted many programs including behavioural policies, service training, performance management and security protocols.  

Transit operator performance is evaluated on a regular basis and any concerns will be highlighted and addressed with the driver.

Calgary Transit remains a safe and trusted service provider for Calgarians. There are more than 2,100 transit operators who perform an exceptional job for the public 365 days a year.

“The work we do is important to the community and respectful public interaction and safety are our top priorities. With our training tools and culture of respectability, we will continue to strive to serve Calgarians professionally and with great pride,” said Mac Logan, General Manager of Transportation.

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