CTA bus drivers report new police presence on some routes as crime plagues public transit

CHICAGO (CBS) — CBS 2 has been tracking a recent uptick in crime on the CTA, but now something new is being done about it, at least on CTA buses.

CBS 2’s Sabrina Franza reports, for the first time after an unprecedented spike in CTA crime, bus operators are reporting police officers have been stationed on buses on some routes.

This comes after a 17-year-old boy was targeted and killed on the #53/Pulaski line one week ago. In that case, there have been no arrests.

Afterward that shooting, Amalgamated Transit Union Local 241, the union that represents CBS bus drivers, met with with CTA officials, the mayor’s office, and the Chicago Police Department to talk about what can be and needs to be done to make operators and riders feel safe.

One of those suggestions was to add a police presence to CTA buses, either on the bus itself or patrolling alongside the bus.

It took a week, but we’re hearing first reports of some officers along trouble routes; like the #53/Pulaski line where that teen was shot and killed last week.

We spoke with Local 241 president Keith Hill about what he thinks needs to happen next.

“This presence? Talk to me after the holiday. Talk to me next week. Let’s really see after the 4th [on] Monday. Let’s see what happens Thursday and Friday,” he said.

Of course we will be staying on top of this to see if this presence continues past the busy July 4th weekend.

We’re told more meetings are scheduled between police and CTA bus operators to talk an even greater safety plan this week.