Cook County Sheriff Says Dedicated CTA Police Force May Be Needed for Safety Improvements
Deputies have issued more than 1,500 warnings and made 225 arrests as the task force weighs a unified transit police force.
- On June 24, 2026, Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart's deputies continued patrolling Chicago Transit Authority trains to deter crime and nuisance violations, deployed daily across the system since late March.
- Following federal threats to pull funding, the state mandated transit reforms last year, creating the Northern Illinois Transit Authority and tasking Dart with leading a law enforcement task force.
- Since March 27, deputies have made 225 arrests, including 74 wanted fugitives, and issued more than 1,500 warnings for ordinance violations, while violent crime along the Red Line has fallen 77%.
- Beyond enforcement, deputies and social service teams have connected more than 115 individuals with mental health or substance abuse resources, as Dart emphasizes addressing minor infractions prevents serious crime.
- The task force will deliver a report of recommendations early next year, potentially proposing a unified police force as Dart evaluates long-term safety strategies across the 145-station network.
10 Articles
10 Articles
Cook County sheriff says dedicated CTA police force may be needed for safety improvements
A surge in Cook County Sheriff's Police patrols on Chicago Transit Authority trains is producing hundreds of arrests and citations, and Sheriff Tom Dart says a dedicated transit police force may ultimately be necessary to sustain long‑term safety improvements.
Cook County sheriff's new CTA patrols target crime and fare evasion
Inside the Cook County Sheriff's Office's CTA public safety patrols, which are already seeing results
The Cook County Sheriff's Office has been a part of Illinois' enhanced CTA security plan and state-led task force dedicated to making it safe since the end of March. Their officers have worked more than 4,000 hours a month.
Inside Cook County Sheriff's new CTA Transit Safety Mission to reclaim Chicago's trains
Cook County Sheriff's Police are patrolling CTA trains under a state-directed pilot that combines enforcement, outreach, and data collection to improve rider safety and shape the future of transit policing.
Unified transit police force is 'easiest' option but could be costly, Sheriff Dart says
Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart's office typically doesn't deal with public transit. His office is usually occupied patrolling suburbs and running the jail system.But that's changed recently.Dart's deputies have begun patrolling CTA trains to address stubbornly high violence — making hundreds of arrests and issuing thousands of warnings in the last two and a half months.And Dart is personally leading a transit task force — created under the state's…
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