A new public awareness campaign is rolling out across the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) system, with officials placing warning signs on buses and trains to emphasize the consequences for violent crimes committed on transit property.
More than 7,000 signs will be installed, warning riders that violent offenses will be aggressively prosecuted and that prosecutors will seek pretrial detention for those accused of committing violent crimes on buses and trains.
The signs state, “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.”
According to the CTA, the campaign will place signs on every vehicle in its fleet, including more than 1,500 railcars and nearly 2,000 buses.
Officials said the campaign is intended both to remind would-be offenders of the legal consequences of violent crimes and to reassure riders that public transit safety remains a priority.
Cook County State’s Attorney Eileen O’Neill Burke said a safe public transportation system is essential to the city and that her office is committed to making the CTA “the safest in the nation.”
Burke said the campaign is designed to demonstrate how seriously prosecutors treat violent crimes committed on public transit and to remind offenders that such crimes could result in detention before trial, according to CBS Chicago.
Burke argued that effective crime prevention depends on offenders believing they are likely to be apprehended and face meaningful consequences.
Burke contrasted her office’s approach with that of the previous administration, saying prosecutors now follow specific criteria when seeking pretrial detention in cases involving defendants considered a danger to the public.
The campaign follows additional efforts launched by Burke’s office to address transit crime.
Earlier this year, the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office established a Regional Transit Task Force, bringing together local, county, federal, and transit agencies, including the Chicago Police Department, Cook County Sheriff’s Office, CTA, Metra, and Pace.
Prosecutors also created an internal transit task force, and officials said more than 30 assistant state’s attorneys have been trained to use CTA surveillance video as evidence in criminal prosecutions, according to FOX 32.
According to the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office, prosecutors have approved felony charges in 483 transit-related criminal cases since Burke took office in December 2024.
Officials said judges have granted pretrial detention in approximately 83 percent of those cases after prosecutors requested it, according to ABC7 Chicago.
Burke said her office has strengthened its presentations during first-appearance hearings by embedding investigators in court to gather additional information before detention hearings.
Burke’s office also cited recent crime statistics as evidence that its broader transit enforcement efforts are producing results.
The State’s Attorney’s Office said overall crime on buses, trains, stations, bus stops, and other CTA property has fallen by roughly 30 percent compared with the previous year.
Officials also reported a sharp decline in violent crime on the CTA Red Line, with estimates ranging from a 76 percent to 79 percent decrease, depending on the reporting period cited.
CTA Acting President Nora Leerhsen said the agency is continuing to invest in safety measures and resources for riders and employees, while Burke said prosecutors will continue pursuing both violent and nonviolent offenses on the transit system, including theft and smoking violations.
The campaign was met with criticism and mockery on X.
“You can also take criminals off the streets,” one user wrote. “I really think that a safe and thriving city starts with not tolerating people who prey on other people. Putting up signs is nice, but removing a man who has punched 45 random women in the face is better.”
Another commenter joked, “Well I guess crime has ended now,” while a third added, “Why didn’t we think of this sooner?? Clearly people just did not know crime will not be tolerated.”
Others mocked the initiative, with one user writing, “Nothing stops a maniac mid-hammer-swing like a well-placed 12pt font reminder that assault is against transit policy.”
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