Chicago Transit Authority

On Wednesday, Mayor Rahm Emanuel, Chicago Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy, Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) President Forrest Claypool and CTA Board Chairman Terry Peterson announced that the CTA will spend $10 million to hire 50 full-time police officers from the Chicago Police Academy to patrol Chicago’s rail and bus stations.

“The CTA is proud to announce this long-term investment in the safety of our riders,” said Claypool. “By enhancing the full-time, dedicated police presence on our transit lines, we are increasing our ability to provide riders with the most secure and convenient transit service possible.”

The recruits will start attending the Police Academy this fall, and after six months of training will be detailed to the Public Transport Section in spring of 2012.

“Adding these 50 full-time officers will increase our visibility and our ability to deter crime where millions of Chicagoans spend their time every day,” said Supt. McCarthy. “We will continue to work with the CTA to ensure that people don’t need to worry about their safety while riding the train or taking the bus.”

Garry McCarthy

The CTA and the Chicago Police Department Public Transportation Section work together to identity and catch anyone who commits a crime on CTA property. Officers who patrol CTA stations and ride the trains are both uniformed and plainclothes.

“Each day, the CTA provides convenient, accessible transportation to more than a million riders across Chicago’s neighborhoods,” said Mayor Emanuel. “This investment in full-time officers to patrol CTA’s rail and bus stations will help ensure the safety and security of all who rely on the CTA to get to work, school, and to destinations across our great city.”

This is the first new round of police recruits since the Mayor took office, although Mayor Emanuel and Superintendent McCarthy have deployed almost 750 additional officers to patrol Chicago since May 2011.