PHILADELPHIA (July 15, 2025) – Serious crimes have continued to drop in most categories while enforcement of fare evasion, smoking and other quality-of-ride offenses has increased significantly, according to the first-half 2025 crime report from the SEPTA Transit Police Department.
Following a record-setting annual crime reduction of 33% in 2024, SEPTA Transit Police have continued to implement new data-driven deployment strategies. These efforts are helping keep serious crime rates low, with reductions in seven of eight categories over the first six months of 2025.
“We are continuing to see great results from the SEPTA Transit Police Department, thanks to efforts to bolster staffing and the implementation of innovative enforcement strategies,” said SEPTA General Manager Scott A. Sauer. “Despite an imminent fiscal crisis that could result in massive service cuts, we will continue to support the critical work that our police force does to ensure SEPTA is safe and secure for customers and employees.”
In addition to the historic progress on serious crimes, the focus on fare evasion and quality-of-ride offenses by Transit Police is also showing significant progress. Overall enforcement of these incidents increased by 27% compared to the first quarter of 2024.
For the first half of 2025, SEPTA Transit Police issued 4,366 citations for fare evasion, a 74% increase over the same six months in 2024. In addition, 1,189 tickets were issued for smoking – a 6% increase – and 253 for marijuana use, up 19%. Meanwhile, reports by customers to the SEPTA Transit Watch App over fare evasion declined 46.7 percent, and reports of smoking declined 13.6%.
SEPTA Transit Police Chief Chuck Lawson said increased fare enforcement has a direct impact on serious crime and other offenses.
“When we increase our enforcement of fare evasion, we consistently see lower rates of crime and disorder on the system,” Lawson said. “We are committed to a three-pronged approach to combatting fare evasion through deterrence, enforcement and education.”
For deterrence, police will continue to enhance visible patrols and use new technology, including full-length fare gates that will soon begin expanding to nine additional stations. The first full-length gates at 69th Street Transportation Center have reduced fare evasion by approximately 20%. Enforcement includes regular patrols and using data to deploy officers to fare-evasion hot spots. These are complemented by educational efforts, such as recent fare enforcement blitzes at stations and on buses and new signage that clearly spells out the criminal penalties for fare evasion.
The full crime report is available on SEPTA’s website.
