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New CTA campaign aims to deter violent crime on buses, trains

By Nic Flosi
Crime and Public Safety
Published July 28, 2026 6:00 AM CDT
Published July 28, 2026 6:00 AM CDT

The Brief

    • More than 7,000 signs will be installed across CTA buses and trains warning that violent crimes on public transit will be prosecuted and that authorities will seek pretrial detention.
    • The campaign is a partnership between the Cook County State's Attorney's Office and the Chicago Transit Authority.
    • Officials say the effort builds on broader transit safety initiatives as transit-related crime has reportedly declined over the past year.

CHICAGO - The Cook County State's Attorney's Office and the Chicago Transit Authority are launching a new public awareness campaign warning that prosecutors will seek pretrial detention for people accused of committing violent crimes on public transit.

CTA launches anti-violence awareness campaign

The initiative will place more than 7,000 signs on CTA buses and trains that say, "Violence on the CTA will not be tolerated. The Cook County State's Attorney's Office will prosecute and seek pretrial detention for all violent offenses on public transit."

CTA sign aims to deter violence. (Cook County State's Attorney's Office)

What they're saying:

"In order to have a safe and thriving city, we need to have a safe public transportation system," Cook County State's Attorney Eileen O'Neill Burke said in a statement.

"The Cook County State's Attorney's Office is committed to doing everything we can to make our public transportation system the safest in the nation. We are putting up these signs to show how seriously we take these cases and to reinforce the consequences offenders will face for bringing violence onto the CTA."

CTA Acting President Nora Leerhsen said the campaign is intended to reassure both riders and transit employees.

"Everyone deserves a safe and welcoming transit environment. These signs are a message to riders and employees that we're working together to ensure transit safety is prioritized at every step," Leerhsen said. "More than ever before, we're investing in new strategies to ensure appropriate resources are available to riders and that action is taken to keep your journey safe."

The backstory:

The signage campaign follows the launch of Burke's Regional Transit Task Force in May 2026. The group brings together local, county, federal and transit agencies to improve safety across the Chicago area's transit systems.

Participants include the Cook County State's Attorney's Office, Chicago Police Department, CTA, Cook County Sheriff's Office, Metra and Pace.

The state's attorney's office also created an internal CTA task force focused on prosecuting transit-related crime in Chicago. Officials said more than 30 assistant state's attorneys have been trained on using transit video technology as evidence in criminal cases.

By the numbers:

Since Burke took office on Dec. 1, 2024, the Cook County State's Attorney's Office said it has:

  • Approved felony charges in 483 transit-related crime cases.
  • Obtained pretrial detention in 83% of those cases.
  • Seen overall crime on buses, trains, stations, bus stops and other transit property decline by 30% from 2025 to 2026.
  • Recorded a 76% drop in violent crime on the CTA Red Line during that period.

The Source: The information in this story came from the Cook County State's Attorney's Office and Chicago Transit Authority.

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