What to Know
- A SEPTA Police report says there's been a 45 percent drop in crime in 2024 compared to the same time last year.
- The decrease includes significant drops in aggravated assaults (32 to 24) and robberies (102 to 34), according to SEPTA. Homicides from the same time period increased from 1 to 3, however, according to the data.
- SEPTA also said they’ve seen sustained growth in the number of Transit police officers from 196 at the end of 2022 to 230 officers at the end of last month, which the spokesperson called “the highest number in years.”
SEPTA is reporting a 45% decrease in "serious" crimes during the first quarter of 2024 compared to the same period in 2023.
A spokesperson for the transit agency said the data was pulled from the First Quarter 2024 report released by SEPTA Police on Friday, April 12. The decrease includes significant drops in aggravated assaults (32 to 24) and robberies (102 to 34), according to SEPTA. Homicides from the same time period increased from 1 to 3, however, according to the data.
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“While overall crime on SEPTA is down, the Authority reported three homicides in the first quarter,” the spokesperson wrote. “The same gun violence that is plaguing the communities SEPTA serves is spilling over into the system. SEPTA remains committed to combating gun violence, and Transit Police are targeting illegal gun possession.”
Overall, reported homicides in Philadelphia are down 35 percent from the same time last year as of April 12, according to data from Philadelphia Police.
There are additional resources for people or communities that have endured gun violence in Philadelphia. Further information can be found here.
In early March of this year, SEPTA officials announced they planned to crack down on crime following three deadly shootings on or involving their bus lines in a three-day span. SEPTA Transit Police Chief Charles Lawson said at the time that the plan would include the enforcement of laws concerning a wide range of violations the transit agency observed, from fare evading to open drug use to illegal firearm possession.
In Friday’s press release announcing the decrease in crime, SEPTA’s spokesperson wrote that Transit police continue to increase visible patrols on trains, trolleys and buses.
SEPTA
“Increasing the police presence on vehicles allows officers to engage with more riders and enhance the perception of safety on SEPTA,” the spokesperson wrote.
SEPTA also said they’ve seen sustained growth in the number of Transit police officers from 196 at the end of 2022 to 230 officers at the end of last month, which the spokesperson called “the highest number in years.”
“While we still have challenges, I am encouraged by our progress,” Chief Lawson said. “We have stepped up enforcement of quality-of-life offenses, including fare evasion, drug use, and smoking, which are often the subject of customer complaints and can be associated with more serious offenses.”
In early April, SEPTA unveiled new full-length fare gates at the 69th Street Transportation Center in an effort to combat fare evasion. SEPTA also launched a new Virtual Patrol Unit within the past year. The unit – which largely consists of retired law enforcement professionals – monitors live video feeds and dispatches officers wherever they’re needed.
“This initiative is maximizing the use of the 30,000 security cameras that are located at stations and on all buses, trains, and trolleys,” the spokesperson wrote.
The spokesperson also cited the SEPTA Transit Watch App, which was launched in October of 2021. The app allows SEPTA customers and employees to report suspicious activity to police.
“We are pleased to see that incidents of violent crime have been consistently down across the system over the last year,” SEPTA CEO and General Manager Leslie S. Richards said. “We are providing about 700,000 passenger trips per day, and while serious crimes are extremely rare, we want all of our customers and employees to feel safe when they are traveling on SEPTA.”
The new data comes amid a continued legal battle over Act 40, legislation passed by lawmakers and signed into law in December 2023 that calls for the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s office to appoint a special prosecutor who would be in charge of prosecuting crimes that occur on SEPTA property.
District Attorney Larry Krasner filed a lawsuit that challenges Act 40’s constitutionality, arguing the law strips him of his power and goes against the will of the voters who elected him twice. Supporters of Act 40, including Governor Josh Shapiro, have argued that the legislation is “concurrent jurisdiction” that allows the state to put more law enforcement resources towards addressing crime in Philadelphia.
