New signs intended to deter crime to be posted on CTA buses, trains

Anyone riding the Chicago Transit Authority system will see a new warning starting Tuesday.

Cook County State's Attorney Eileen O'Neill Burke and acting CTA President Nora Leerhsen on Tuesday announced the rollout of more than 7,000 signs going up on buses and trains. The signs are intended to deter crime on the CTA.

They read: "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."

The CTA will place the signs in every vehicle in the CTA fleet, which includes more than 1,500 railcars and nearly 2,000 buses.

"In order to have a safe and thriving city, we need to have a safe public transportation system," said State's Attorney Burke said in a news release. "The Cook County State's Attorney's Office is committed to doing everything we can to make our public transportation system the safest in the nation. We are putting up these signs to show how seriously we take these cases and to reinforce the consequences offenders will face for bringing violence onto the CTA."

The State's Attorney's office said the signs reflect a detention policy that O'Neill Burke announced on her first day in office.

"Everyone deserves a safe and welcoming transit environment. These signs are a message to riders and employees that we're working together to ensure transit safety is prioritized at every step," said CTA Acting President Leerhsen. "More than ever before, we're investing in new strategies to ensure appropriate resources are available to riders and that action is taken to keep your journey safe."

The State's Attorney's office said the effort comes as crime on the CTA continues to fall. The office said overall crime fell 30% on every form of public transit so far in 2026 compared with 2026.

On the Red Line, the office said, violent crime has fallen 76%.