PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania (WPVI) — Two years following their largest one-year drop in serious crimes, the SEPTA Transit Police are putting a microscope on smaller infractions that affect the quality of rides.
Some of those infractions include smoking, occupying multiple seats, and other violations of city ordinances or the SEPTA code of conduct.
This new initiative took the form of two brand-new details.
The first is the virtual patrol division. Here, the department can monitor over 30,000 cameras and provide real-time information to officers on the ground.
Their goal is to detect possible incidents before they occur. But they can also use the technology to rewind and provide intel for incidents in progress.
The second component is to assign officers to ride trains for their whole shift. Sometimes, the mere presence of officers is enough to deter violations.
While on the ground, officers have the capacity to zoom in on infractions such as sleeping on trains, possession of drugs, fare evasion, and more.
They also monitor unhoused individuals who use the trains or platforms or shelter. Although they must ask those individuals to leave, officers are trained to offer resources to help.
SEPTA passengers are encouraged to report unsafe behavior to the SEPTA Transit Police. Emergency calls may be made to 911 or 215-580-8111. Text tips can be sent to 215-235-1911.
Riders can also report problems using the ‘Help’ tab on the SEPTA app.
For more information, visit SEPTA.org.
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