City could expand security around Charlotte transit hubs after fatal light rail stabbing

CHARLOTTE (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — Charlotte city leaders could move forward with a proposal to expand the jurisdiction of Professional Police Services, Inc. (PPS), the private security company currently contracted to protect Charlotte’s transit system.

The move comes just one month after the fatal stabbing of 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska aboard the light rail, an attack that intensified public concerns about transit safety.

PPS has been providing security for Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) properties since July 2023, according to city officials. However, under current North Carolina law, the company’s authority is limited to city-owned transit property only.

A new proposed resolution could change that.

What’s being proposed?

• Expand PPS’s jurisdiction to areas just outside transit-owned properties, like sidewalks and nearby streets
• Authorize a mutual aid agreement, which would give PPS officers the ability to enforce laws, make arrests, and issue citations in these extended areas

If approved, PPS officers would be able to patrol and respond to incidents at:

• The sidewalks surrounding all city transit centers, including the Charlotte Transit Center, Eastland Transit Center, and Rosa Parks Community Transit Center
• The entire Rail Trail
• East Trade Street and adjacent sidewalks
• Areas around the Charlotte Transit Center and South End

City officials said the expanded coverage would help close security gaps and improve safety not just on transit property, but in the surrounding areas where many incidents tend to occur.

The contract is currently active through July 2026, with an option for two additional one-year renewals. The proposed mutual aid agreement would expire at the same time as the contract.

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