Board renews police security IGAs with suburbs and discusses systemwide coverage; $89.6M canine guard contract and $647,520 passthrough grant also reviewed

The board reviewed and placed on the omnibus several intergovernmental agreements to continue off‑duty police security coverage in suburban jurisdictions and discussed broader security coverage across the CTA system.

Kevin Ryan, vice president of security, presented three intergovernmental agreements: a three‑year Oak Park agreement totaling $968,916, a three‑year Forest Park agreement totaling $285,000, and a three‑year Evanston agreement totaling $795,000. Ryan said security services under these IGAs are provided by off‑duty sworn police officers who sign up for special employment shifts at CTA facilities and that municipalities maintain liability for their officers.

Board members noted low spend against prior year allocations in some suburban IGAs (examples cited included a $300,000+ allocation with roughly $62,000 spent in one jurisdiction), and asked whether that reflected manpower availability. Ryan and staff said participation varies with manpower availability and municipal priorities; when officers are unavailable, CTA pursues supplemental coverage (for example, Cook County Sheriff patrols and increased CPD overtime on CTA). Ryan said Chicago Police Department (CPD) overtime related to CTA special employment is being used extensively and that CPD participation has been high on a recent basis.

Several directors pressed for measurable outcomes and asked staff to return with performance statistics. Director Lee and others asked whether unspent funds could be reallocated; staff said unused budget lines can be repurposed through the budget process. Director McHale asked for clarity on coverage and whether CTA is well covered under the current model; Ryan said the IGAs supplement normal municipal patrols but do not replace the need for assigned police resources.

The committee also reviewed a federal fiscal year 2023 transit security grant intergovernmental agreement to pass through $647,520 in Department of Homeland Security funds to the Chicago Police Department for transit‑related counterterrorism operations; Kevin Ryan said the pass‑through would not affect CTA’s budget because equivalent revenue and expense entries will be added to capture the grant pass‑through.

Separately, during contract discussions the board asked about a contract for canine security and guard services (contract H1). A director asked for confirmation that the line item was the large contract for canine guard services (the discussion referenced an $89,600,000 contract figure). Ryan said the canine teams and contracted hours are scheduled and deployment practices are under review; he said CTA had not previously deployed canines on crowded railcars for safety and animal-welfare reasons but has started limited after‑rush deployments at night and will evaluate complaints and operational impacts.

Why it matters: The IGAs ensure continued local police participation in CTA‑area security operations, but multiple directors said staffing shortages and uneven suburban use limit predictability. The board sought measurable outcomes and more transparent reporting on how security dollars are spent and what operational coverage riders can expect.

Sources: Presentations and Q&A with Kevin Ryan at Jan. 15, 2025 CTA committee and board meetings; follow-up comments from Chief Financial Officer Tom McComb and President Dorval R. Carter Jr.