Violence Interrupters security guards trained in martial arts to patrol CTA Red Line trains on Friday
CHICAGO (CBS) -- We hear too often about CTA attacks, to both employees and riders on trains and buses. As the CTA ramps up their security plan with more unarmed guards on the mass transit system, volunteers also will be joining them on Friday.
Organizers with the group Violence Interrupters said roughly 20 unarmed security guards trained in the martial arts will be riding Red Line trains on 8-hour shifts on Friday in an effort to help ward off crime.
It comes as the CTA announced it is working on deploying 300 unarmed security guards to the entire transit system every day, up from the current 200.
In both cases, those security guards are unarmed, and many of them are trained in conflict resolution.
But Amalgamated Transit Union Local 241 President Keith Hill said he isn't convinced any of this will help.
"They're unarmed. You know, if the people are not afraid of the police, what makes them even ... what are they going to be able to stop? What are they going to be able to do?" he said.
Instead, Hill wants more police presence on the CTA.
Violence Interrupters head organizer Tio Hardiman said he thinks there's room for both.
"By the time the police are called, someone has been attacked. We'd like to stop it before it even happens," he said.
Overall, crime on the CTA is up 40% so far this year.