NBC10’s Brain Sheehan reports after the first morning commute Thursday with SEPTA transit police on strike.
Update: On Thursday morning, officials told NBC10 that contract negotiations could resume as soon as 2 p.m.
For commuters on Thursday morning, signs that SEPTA's police union -- the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 109 -- were on strike were quietly noticeable in Philadelphia's Suburban Station.
A shuttered police sub station sat silent in the Center City transit hub and, nearby a police service booth went unmanned as the station filled with riders leaving trains and heading to work during the morning commute, at about 7 a.m.
"I think they should not be on strike because there be a lot of crime that goes on here," one rider, who wished to remain anonymous, told NBC10.
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SEPTA officers walked off the job at about 7 p.m. on Wednesday after 83 of the 124 officers who voted decided to strike.
Another rider, Monte Hollywood, told NBC10 that, especially due to recent criminal activity that has occurred on and around SEPTA stations, the fact that the mass transit provider's police union has decided to go on strike is "ludicrous."
"As much that’s going on the trains and buses and stuff now a days I feel like that’s ludicrous," he told NBC10's Johnny Archer after the strike was announced. "We need the SEPTA police. We need the SEPTA police. Trains are getting out of hand. Buses are getting out of hand."
SEPTA officers have been busy in recent weeks, and months, after a number of notable instances have called for attention from law enforcement officials.
Recently, a man -- who officials said stabbed three people -- died after being shot by a SEPTA officer and just two days ago, SEPTA police helped apprehend a man involved in a stabbing at the 69th Street Transportation Center in Upper Darby.
"[I'm] definitely thinking about people’s safety if there’s nobody out there watching what’s going on at the different stations," said SEPTA rider Jeff Sumbillo.
During the strike, SEPTA will be operating under a contingency plan that will bring officers from the Philadelphia Police Department and counties outside of the city that are served by SEPTA, along with local university officers and private security workers to actively patrol the system and respond to calls.
SEPTA has said its command staff, including the chief, will be out working as well.
But, for some, like SEPTA rider Lisa Pabon, there remains concern that without the union's officers -- who may be more familiar with the system and what happens on a daily basis -- won't be there when they might be needed.
"It’s public transportation. I’ve seen people get stuff snatched off them and then nobody does anything," she said. "Everybody just looks. And now that the police have walked off? I don’t want to say no hope. Let’s just say it is concerning."
This is the transit police union's third strike in 11 years.
Previous strikes -- in 2012 and 2019 -- each lasted about a week.
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