Calgary police to launch visible photo radar vehicles

Calgary motorists will more easily see police photo radar vehicles as they will appear around the city with bright decals starting Thursday.

In a tweet shared Tuesday, Calgary police say its previously unmarked photo radar vehicles will have “high-visibility decals” as a reminder to “drive safe.”

Police say the decals are part of Alberta’s Automated Enforcement Technology Guideline that was released Dec. 3, 2021. Those changes include having the words “Drive Safe” made clearly visible on the front and the back of the vehicle.

This was in response to ending “photo radar fishing holes” or speed traps.

Alberta’s Justice Minister at the time, Kaycee Madu, said that Albertans have been annoyed with the former photo radar rules.

He said that photo radar has become a “cash grab.”

“While there is scientific evidence that photo radar can lower collision rates, there are also a lot of drivers that feel that photo radar is being used more as a source of revenue than a safety tool,” Madu said in December 2021.

There are 27 municipalities in Alberta that use photo radar, and combined, bring in over $200 million per year through photo enforcement.

In 2019, Calgary police chief Mark Neufeld said the city made $40 million per year in photo radar.

Related Stories:

• Alberta makes sweeping changes to photo radar enforcement

• Some photo radar changes are now in effect, what Calgary drivers need to know

• Province freezing new photo radar devices, launching review

Changes to photo radar went into effect in April and include a rule that photo radar vehicles are not allowed in areas that “have rapid speed changes,” which includes highways that have on and off ramps.

Photo radar is also not allowed in schools or construction zones if students or workers aren’t in those areas.

Edmonton first implemented photo radar vehicles that were more visible to motorists in 2021.

Alberta put a freeze on new photo radar sites and installing new equipment in 2019 and extended that until Dec. 1, which is when the updated Calgary police radar vehicles will be on the road.

The province will publish an annual public report on photo radar in Alberta on May 1, 2023.

-With files from Joey Chini