In a move to tighten security and public safety on transit, Charlotte city officials have unveiled a series of new measures for the Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS). Announcing the changes, authorities said that contract security officers from Professional Security Services (PSS) will now patrol the Blue Line on bikes and utility terrain vehicles (UTVs), according to a report by CharlotteNC.gov.
Mayor Vi Lyles emphasized the city's commitment to security, stating, “Safety is the foundation of everything we do as a city. By working together across departments and with our community, we are committed to implementing these new measures to ensure Charlotte remains a safe and thriving place for all,” as mentioned on CharlotteNC.gov. This initiative aims to increase safety measures in high-traffic areas and to boost the security presence on transit vehicles.
Additional training has been completed by PSS officers to prepare for the rollout of this new approach. Brent Cagle, CATS Interim CEO, said in the report on CharlotteNC.gov, “The addition of bike and UTV patrols is a critical step in our mission to increase safety and reliability in our transit system.” He believes this would not only raise visibility but also bolster public perception of security.
The new security tools are designed to expand coverage, deter fare evasion, improve response times in case of emergencies, and, generally heighten the visibility of security personnel throughout the system. The expanded roles of these security officers will also include coordination with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD) and other city elements that contribute to the overall safety framework. The report stresses that the initiative also encourages transit users to participate in safety via the “See Something, Say Something” program. Riders can reach security officers through the blue light emergency call buttons or the CATS-Pass app by tapping the “Report a Problem to CATS” function.
Complete details of the safety measures and training progress can be found on the dedicated CATS Safety and Security page. For visual context, photographs captured during the announcement event are made available in the CATS Safety Press Conference photo album, with a directive to credit David Flower from the City of Charlotte for any usage.
