Serious Crimes on the CTA Fell 26 Percent in 2014
Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Chicago Transit Authority President Forrest Claypool announced Feb. 17 that serious crimes on the CTA fell 26 percent during 2014. Theft and robberies declined 28 percent in 2014.
“Over the past three and a half years we have developed and implemented an aggressive plan to fight crime and increase safety on the CTA by adding thousands of security cameras and strengthening policing strategies,” said Mayor Emanuel. “We are committed to the safety of every Chicagoan who takes public transportation, we are sending the message that we will not tolerate criminal activity, and we are seeing the results.”
Mayor Emanuel, the CTA and the Chicago Police Department have developed a number of strategies to tackle crime on CTA buses, trains and stations. Those include expanding the CTA’s network of security cameras to more than 23,000 cameras, including multiple cameras on every CTA train and bus, as well as at every CTA rail station. The City has also expanded police patrols, rail saturation missions and increased undercover operations.
Images from CTA security cameras aided police in identifying suspects and arresting at least 235 individuals for crimes committed on or near CTA properties, a 12 percent increase from 2013. The success of these efforts also serves as a deterrent to other would-be criminals.
Last year’s systemwide statistics show:
- 2014 saw the fewest serious crimes in the past four years
- Robberies – down 34 percent
- Thefts – down 26 percent
- Serious crimes – down 26 percent
Across the rail system, overall serious personal and property crimes decreased 24 percent in 2014.
Robberies on the rail system decreased 26 percent in 2014 to 210 and have declined each year since 2011. Robberies on trains fell 23 percent and 28 percent at stations and platforms. Thefts decreased across the rail system, with the number of incidents down 31 percent on trains and down 12 percent on platforms and at stations.
On buses, overall incidents of serious crimes dropped 30 percent in 2014. Robbery and theft decreased 48 percent and 29 percent, respectively, and are also at their lowest rates in the past four years.
“It’s clear that the CTA continues to make our trains and buses safer for customers,” said Claypool. “By working closely with the Chicago Police Department and continuing our investment in security technology, we have been able to increase arrests with the aid of state-of-the-art video and provide a more secure environment for everyone.”
