SEPTA enhances safety measures for new school year

As Philadelphia students get ready to head back to school SEPTA is making safety a priority for the new school year.

“Tens of thousands of students depend on SEPTA for their daily commute to and from school, and we are fully committed to ensuring their safety,” said Leslie S. Richards, SEPTA CEO and General Manager.

“Safety is our top priority, and we are leveraging every available resource to provide a safe experience for all riders.”

SEPTA’s 2024-2025 school year safety plan is as follows:

• Increased Officer Presence: Extended overlapping shifts to provide extra police coverage during inbound and dismissal periods; More than 100 police officers will be in the field during school dismissal.
• Targeted Patrols: SEPTA Police will intensify patrols in areas where multiple schools converge and strategic escorts of buses into our largest terminals; Police assigned to trains to ensure safe, orderly travel.
• Virtual Patrol Units: SEPTA will utilize virtual patrol units to monitor activity in real-time and quickly dispatch officers to any potential issues; Expanded use of video live-look-ins on school tripper buses.
• Collaboration with Philadelphia School District: Coordinating with the Philadelphia Police Dept. on expanding our safe corridors program utilizing SEPTA, PPD, and School Police to staff corridors from schools to SEPTA Stations; Information sharing between all groups to ensure early notifications of emerging student conflicts and other problems.

“SEPTA Police are collaborating closely with the Philadelphia Police Department and other law enforcement agencies to increase the visibility of uniformed officers across our system,” said Charles Lawson, SEPTA Transit Police Chief.

“Our strategy also includes the use of over 30,000 surveillance cameras across the system. These cameras are monitored by our virtual patrol unit, allowing us to extend our reach and respond quickly to areas without a physical police presence.”

Throughout the past year, SEPTA has already seen a 37% decrease in serious
crimes and a 47% reduction in violent crimes on the system during the first half of 2024 compared to the same period in 2023.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PHL17.com.