Light rail first opened on March 12, 1987, and the idea was simple: Offer the general public an easy and affordable alternative to the daily commute.

Since its introduction, light rail on an average day will carry about 36,700 people. It seemed like a perfect solution to an ever-growing problem.

However, security would need to become more prevalent in order to manage the growing number of commuters.

As of right now, there are exactly 14 on-board security attendants who go through and check for tickets and monitor any negative activity at random.

Eight more have been hired, yet they lack the training to be put right out into the mix.

A stabbing occurred right outside a light rail station on Feb. 15.

&Things do happen,& says Lt. Mark Sakauye, director of security for the Regional Transit system. &It&s impossible to check everyone.&

The majority of complaints that security officers have to deal with aren&t even crime related. Most of the time the problems entail rowdy teens being too loud and not respecting the other passengers.

Nothing can be done to stop a kid who may look like he or she belongs in a gang just on that premise alone.

&People are all concerned about the same things: the perception of fear and safety,& Sakauye said.

That&s why in the event of a crime, the situation is dealt with swiftly and thoroughly.

With 30 police officers who are dispatched to deal with Regional Transit problems alone, in addition to the 50 contracted security guards monitoring the stations, plus the addition of surveillance cameras on the trains, it would appear that everything is being taken into account.

People still need to utilize the light rail to facilitate their transportation needs.

Brooke Anderson, a criminal justice major at Sacramento State, isn&t going to stop taking the light rail.

&It beats parking,& Anderson said. &Just the other day I paid $15 to park.&

Other students like liberal studies major Deandrea Alexander feel that there are definite problems with the light rail system but still have to take it every day.

&I&m watching,& he said. &I just remember to stay low key and not attract any attention, especially around Rosa Lima. There is always this group of kids who will get on. They&ll be sparring with each other and just causing trouble.&

For Alexander, it&s just another day. It just makes more sense for him to ride light rail. He has a student ID, so he doesn&t have to pay to ride.

There will always be a need for light rail. If one doesn&t have a car or any other means of transportation, light rail is a no-brainer. It&s cheap and fairly quick at getting around town.