Audit raises safety concerns over CATS security staffing and contracting practices ...Middle East

CHARLOTTE (QUEEN CITY NEWS) -- A preliminary report from the North Carolina State Auditor’s Office has raised questions about security staffing and contract practices at the Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS), following the fatal stabbing of Iryna Zarutska on the light rail.

According to the audit released on Tuesday, there was a 40% drop in armed security personnel over recent years, despite the overall cost of security contracts tripling.

The report states that in 2018, CATS had around 68 to 88 armed guards under its contract with G4S Secure Solutions. Now, under the current contract with Professional Security Services (PSS), only 39 armed security officers are assigned to protect the system, which includes 48 train cars and over 3,000 bus stops across a 675-square-mile service area.

Meanwhile, the value of the security contract is set to increase from $5.9 million in 2022 to $18.4 million by 2025, according to the audit's findings.

Contracting and inclusion policies scrutinized

The report also questions the city’s use of its Charlotte Business Inclusion (CBI) program, which aims to increase opportunities for minority, women, and small business enterprises. In 2022, the city limited part of its security contract, specifically unarmed security, only to firms registered with CBI, excluding others, regardless of other qualifications, according to the audit.

State officials said this raises concerns about whether safety was compromised by focusing too heavily on inclusion goals during the contract process.

“The safety of the citizens of Charlotte needs to be first and foremost when security decisions are being made. Our report shows there has been a clear shift away from armed security in the CATS’s private security contracts,” State Auditor Dave Boliek said in a released statement on Tuesday. “Further, limiting any part of a contract providing citizens with security to only firms that meet a DEI checkbox raises questions as to whether politics has taken priority over public safety. As we continue our investigation, we will be examining the decisions that went into designing, soliciting, and approving these security contracts.”

Charlotte defends contractor and strategy

The City of Charlotte defended its choice of contractor and the shift in security strategy. Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles said that the number of total security personnel has more than doubled, from 108 under G4S to 219 under PSS, though the majority are unarmed.

“As CATS has stated publicly, we entered into the agreement with PSS with the expectation that CATS and PSS would increase visibility of security personnel through the transit system while also adopting an approach of creating a more mobile and responsive security force. PSS is meeting this expectation,” the city said, noting the firm had previously worked with the Trump presidential campaign and received a strong recommendation from G4S.

A person walks along a Charlotte Area Transit System light rail station, Monday, Sept. 8, 2025, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Erik Verduzco)A Charlotte Area Transit System light rail arrives at a station, Monday, Sept. 8, 2025, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Erik Verduzco)

Lyles also said their strategy now prioritizes more mobile and responsive patrols, and that they’ve boosted PSS staff with help from the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department, including nearly 1,000 hours of off-duty officers assigned to the Blue Line each week.

City of Charlotte questions audit process

Mayor Vi Lyles pushed back on the timeline and transparency of the audit process, saying the city had limited time to respond to late-breaking follow-up questions and report drafts.

“I would respectfully request that the OSA provide reasonable deadlines for city responses and clarify the process moving forward,” Mayor Lyles wrote. The Office of the State Auditor said a final report will be released once the full investigation is complete.

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