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Speakers urge additional security and weapons‑detection measures on SEPTA; council notes funding and intergovernmental needs
Summary
At the town hall, residents and advocates urged stronger safety measures on SEPTA, including weapons‑detection systems and upgraded cameras; councilmembers said long‑term funding and state cooperation will be necessary.
Several speakers raised concerns about safety on SEPTA transit, citing an increase in shootings and urging city and transit officials to pilot and adopt weapons‑detection technologies and other security measures.
One speaker cited news counts and SEPTA’s own reporting for 2024 and said local and national outlets documented more shootings than SEPTA publicly reported, including a mass shooting in March that wounded multiple passengers. The speaker urged the city to require and support weapons‑detection systems and to hold SEPTA accountable for security technology upgrades.
Council members said they agree safety is a priority but noted that transit security and long‑term transit funding are complex and require state and regional cooperation. The council president said state delegation work is underway to pursue long‑term funding solutions for transit; members also noted pilot work SEPTA and unions have done on bus operator protections, such as safety glass.
Speakers pointed to pilot programs in other cities and asked for a multilayered security strategy rather than relying only on fare‑evasion enforcement. Council members said they would continue to press for funding and intergovernmental coordination to improve transit safety.
