New Cameras Aim to Prevent CTA Train Crime

Every rail car traveling through Lake View will have surveillance cameras by the end of 2013.

And with three crimes already reported on the neighborhood's CTA system this year, officials say they hope the cameras will deter future offenses.

The project is slated to take seven months, CTA President Forrest Claypool announced Monday. Cameras come standard in new rail cars, so the new plans entail installing high-definition cameras in 850 older model CTA trains. Every car will receive four, 360-degree cameras and on-board recording devices.

In Lake View, 233 crimes were reported on CTA trains from 2010 to 2012, according to the City of Chicago Data Portal. Those included 35 robberies, 24 batteries, four assaults, five sex offenses, and 131 thefts. 

Currently, cameras are in about 15 percent of existing trains. Over the last 8 months, the surveillance helped police identify suspects in 14 out of 15 cases, Claypool said. 

“Having a world-class public transportation system is a key goal of my administration, and making sure that Chicagoans can have a safe experience on board our trains and buses is a top priority,”  Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel said, in a statement. “These additional cameras will work directly with the many other upgrades we’ve made to improve the experience of our passengers, so they can get to work and school smoothly and safely.” 

More than 3,600 cameras have been installed in train stations and buses across the city, according to the CTA.

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