CTA, Chicago police unveil ‘security surge’ after feds threatened funding cuts

The Chicago Police Department and Chicago Transit Authority are enacting a “security surge” following threats from the federal government to slash transit funding in the city.

The “security surge” will go into effect on Friday, with more law enforcement officers patrolling CTA property in an effort to cut down on crime after multiple high-profile attacks in recent months.

According to the CTA, funding for the program is coming out of its budget, with sworn law enforcement officers invited to sign up to patrol trains and buses on their days off.

The Voluntary Special Employment Program will see an increase from an average of 77 law enforcement officers to an average of 120 per day, according to terms of the program.

“CPD officers are at the core of CTA’s multilayered security strategy and I value our partnership with Superintendent Snelling and his staff as we continue our longstanding commitment to keep our riders safe,” said CTA Acting President Nora Leerhsen. “We expect the additional police and K-9 presence on our system to further increase security visibility.”

According to Chicago police data, crimes on CTA are down by 3% in 2025 compared to last year, and crime in November was down 19% over last year.

A woman is in critical condition after police said she was set on fire while riding a busy CTA train in the Loop Monday night, with lines shut down for hours and authorities searching for the suspect.

Still, the threat by the Federal Transit Administration to halt funding to the CTA led the agency to partner with CPD on a program to improve safety in its system.

“CPD and CTA work closely together every day to keep CTA riders safe, and this surge is an extension of that effort,” said CPD Superintendent Larry Snelling. “This initiative builds upon the work that our agencies have done together, like our updated Public Transportation Section Strategic Decision Support Center, which opened earlier this year with CPD Robbery Task Force Detectives embedded inside the room for more streamlined and efficient investigations.

In addition to more officers, residents and CTA riders will likely see more private K-9 security guards, with an increase helping to supplement CPD’s staffing.

The impetus behind the program was an attack that horrified the city in November. A man set a woman on fire onboard a CTA Blue Line train in the Loop, leaving her with severe injuries. He was charged with federal terrorism charges, and on Thursday he was also charged with a separate arson that occurred outside of City Hall in Chicago.

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson said that the safety plan dovetails with his stated priorities of making the CTA safer for all passengers.

“I don’t need a letter from the trump administration to tell me what my priorities are,” he said.

The CTA and CPD say that the deployment will be guided by crime data and CTA system information, but did not offer more clarify on where officers may be observed.