(Photo by Bastiaan Slabbers/NurPhoto via Getty Images / Getty Images), America's crime crisis leads return of pro-police sentiment. We know people will see the numbers, and some will look big in relation to what someones base salary is, Busch said. Responsible for personal safety and is encouraged to promote the safety of others. How accurate is this most likely Total Pay range (base + additional) of $50K-$74K/yr? SEPTA ridership has not yet recovered from the depths of the COVID-19 pandemic, which greatly reduced the number of workers relying on transit in favor of remote work. Read what they think about their salaries on our Compensation FAQ page for , Get started with your Free Employer Profile, Bus Operator salaries - 36 salaries reported, Project Engineer salaries - 9 salaries reported, Project Manager salaries - 8 salaries reported, Transportation Manager salaries - 7 salaries reported, Bus Driver salaries - 7 salaries reported, Signal Maintainer salaries - 7 salaries reported, Engineer I salaries - 7 salaries reported, Assistant Conductor salaries - 7 salaries reported, Railroad Conductor salaries - 6 salaries reported, Maintenance Custodian salaries - 6 salaries reported, Locomotive Engineer salaries - 5 salaries reported, Customer Service Representative salaries - 5 salaries reported, Operations Manager salaries - 5 salaries reported, Assistant Director salaries - 4 salaries reported, Senior Project Engineer salaries - 4 salaries reported, Thomas Jefferson University and Jefferson Health. CBS3's Jan Carabeo contributed to this report. The union chief also said improvements to working conditions are needed for existing transit police officers. It also raised questions about the agencys oversight process, he said. That total means the police lieutenant was the fourth highest-paid SEPTA employee, earning considerably more than SEPTA Police Chief Thomas Nestels $175,744 salary and a little less than the $218,000 brought in by Mayor Jim Kenney each year. Learn more about Social Responsibility at WHYY. Last month, SEPTA and the union for SEPTAs transit police, FOP Lodge 109, reached an agreement to raise salaries, effective June 19. So to fill in the gaps, the Transit Workers Union, Local 234 (thats the chapter of the union that includes most drivers, other blue collar workers), they spent like $8,000 on hand sanitizer in April, another $11,000 on masks in May. The SEPTA Transit Police Department was founded in 1981. SEPTA has seen a spike in criminal activity and violence along its routes in recent years. Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority pays $42,010 a year, on average, or $20.2 an hour. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Septa employees rate the overall compensation and benefits package 4.1/5 stars. To attract qualified candidates and to ensure our employees are fairly compensated, we strive to offer competitive compensation for the work our State Troopers do. Hourly pay at Septa ranges from an average of $18.44 to $41.41 an hour. That includes stepped-up investments in social-service workers and security guards. SEPTA Police Officers' salaries on the level of Police Departments throughout the Philadelphia region. Please give today. So, for example, SEPTA police officer Lt. Michael Wright earned more overtime than anyone else on SEPTA staff. The SEPTA Transit Police Department extends beyond the regular beat with units of specially trained officers. GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO BY CLICKING HERE. Glassdoor has salaries, wages, tips, bonuses, and hourly pay based upon employee reports and estimates. Just this week, a SEPTA manager was arrested over an alleged overtime fraud scheme. SEPTA increases starting salaries for its police officers by 25%. SEPTA Police Jobs Contact Transit Police Emergency Phone: (215) 580-8111 Non-Emergency Phone: (215) 580-4487 Administrative Phone: (215) 580-3641 Emergency Call Boxes in subway stations also put you in immediate contact with Transit Police. Learn more about Social Responsibility at WHYY. If I were in their position, I would feel stupid not doing it. Eltor Sumpter, also earned about as much or more than the top transit law enforcement official. The starting salary for rookies entering the academy will be raised from $46,536 to $56,507, and post-graduation pay will go from $49,536 to $62,387. Download the SEPTA App from the Apple Store, Download the Transit Watch App from the Apple Store, Threatening Items Prohibited on SEPTA Property. Read the news of the day in less than 10 minutes not that were counting. Yet nearly half of these 800 employees earned more than 50% of their base pay in overtime, and about 45 men earned as much or considerably more than their annual salary. As violent attacks continue to happen on SEPTA, the city hopes this "significant boost" will help recruit and retain officers for a department that's understaffed at the moment. Police officer wages are heavily dependent on the cost of living in each state. Leave a comment. And some employees earn nearly twice what their peers make for doing the same job. Before he stepped down the day after July Fourth, Thomas Nestel III had served as chief of the SEPTA Transit Police for nearly 10 years. SEPTA police officers gathered outside Temple University Hospital in early April after a transit officer was shot and wounded in Frankford. (In their fourth year of service, Officers will be making $65,080 annually.) Ridership and revenue are both way down and the agency is considering service cuts. Quintez Adams, 28, was wanted following the incident that happened Sunday afternoon between the Girard and Erie avenue stations. 00:00 / 01:17. Shapiro breaks with Dems on COVID policies in Pa. gov race. Collaborates with other law enforcement while responding to incidents. RYAN: A bit less than 400 employees earned more than 50% of their base salaries and overtime. Amid staffing shortages, SEPTA has been bringing in outside contractors to help address safety concerns. Sign up for the free Billy Penn newsletter to get everything you need to know about Philadelphia, every day. The lowest-paying job at Septa is a Customer Service Representative with a salary of $36,718 per year. Some intentionally avoid promotion because such a move might, paradoxically, mean more work with less pay. Officers with four or more years of service on the force will see a pay boost of around 11% under the new labor agreement, and those in the department under four years will reach a new "top rate". Changes in the transit police pay scale will go into effect as early as Sunday, the agency said. A man sought in connection with multiple sexual assaults, including the rape reported last weekend on SEPTA's Broad Street Line, was taken into custody by Philadelphia police Wednesday morning, officials said. During that time, assaults on transit employees were especially bad. So that means that this was a SEPTA police officer who was making more than the chief of SEPTA Police, Thomas Nestel and just a little bit less than the mayor, Jim Kenney. They would call a guy like me in, a union guy, to justify that a man needed supervision. WHYY is your source for fact-based, in-depth journalism and information. The Fraternal Order of Transit Police Lodge 109, which represents SEPTA transit police officers in Philadelphia, is calling for SEPTA to improve working conditions and increase pay in order to recruit more officers. Busch defended the overtime payments, asserting that all three were charged with mission- critical maintenance roles, and that SEPTAs seniority rules meant veteran employees, like the trio, got first dibs. The first SEPTA Transit Police Department class started training in February 1981, and ended with 55 new officers. Earlier this year, the SEPTA board approved contracts with three other security companies, adding 88 people to its SEPTA Outreach program, meant to help customers navigate trains and stations, assist with destination-less riders and serve as extra eyes and ears for the Transit Police.. Earlier this year, a SEPTA officer was shot by a suspect near the Franklin Arrott Transportation Center in Philadelphia, sustaining injuries that landed him in the hospital in critical but stable condition. FAQ - New Privacy Policy. "Our transit officers are frequently forced to deal with unacceptable working conditions, such as an entire district headquarters not having hot water for over a month, or having to eat lunch in break rooms that are missing ceiling tiles and leak whenever it rains," Bervine said. Spending on safety and security will increase by about 50% to $53 million for the 2023 fiscal year, which begins July 1. MICHAELA: You cant say that because SEPTA paid out this overtime, they couldnt pay out these financial death benefits. The Philadelphia Police Department (PPD) is the nation's fourth largest police department, with over The union that represents SEPTA workers fought for a $500,000 death benefit a payout that New Yorks MTA provided over the summer. SEPTA Transit Police officer wears a face mask in Center City Philadelphia, PA on May 8, 2020. Billy Joel & Stevie Nicks floor seat tickets, A SEPTA employee walks between two El cars lifted for repairs at the 69th Street SEPTA repair shop. "We know that policing is not the solution to everything," Bervine said. SEPTA Transit Police Officers are responsible for policing the entire regional SEPTA system, covering an area of five Pennsylvania counties (Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, and Philadelphia) and three states (Delaware, New Jersey and Pennsylvania). This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The majority of the overtime went to maintenance and construction divisions, like one at the heart of an ongoing FBI probe, or the agencys in-house police force. Title: Subway . Its no secret to us that the top echelon of managers get more overtime, weve been seeing that and living that, he said. Reports of aggravated assault and robbery on SEPTA soared during the pandemic as ridership fell, California residents do not sell my data request. Complies with all Authority and departmental safety and security policies and procedures as well as all applicable job safety responsibilities. Septa. And if the financial management is questionable, who knows what they could pay out for people if they did a better job? Click on or copy the following link into your address bar to find the specific physical fitness requirements for your age and gender: Prior to undergoing formal officer training, recruits are required to pass a reading exam, medical screening, physical agility test, polygraph and psychological exams. Officers with four or more years of service on the force will see a pay boost of around 11% under the new labor agreement, and those in the department under four years will reach a new "top rate" of $74,588 after 25 months. The average salary for a Septa Police Officer is $47,809 per year in United States, which is 21% lower than the average Septa salary of $60,798 per year for this job. In 2019, an officers service weapon fired while holstered a flaw that had previously been seen with the Sig Sauer P320 handguns most carry. "SEPTA must spend a significant portion of its vast financial resources on making its transit police officer salaries more competitive and improving working conditions so that we can attract the quality candidates that we so desperately need, to aid in our efforts to keep SEPTAs passengers and employees safe as they traverse our transit system," Bervine said. .css-r1m4lw{background-color:#20262e;border-radius:50%;}.css-r1m4lw > svg > path{fill:#fff;}Add your salary. Labor costs account for about 70% of SEPTA's $1.5 billion budget, and the agency shelled out nearly $59 million just in overtime payments for the fiscal year ending in June 30, 2020. #cheesesandwich pic.twitter.com/EDor8ktUeG. SEPTA Transit Police officer wears a face mask in Center City Philadelphia, PA on May 8, 2020. With that kind of staffing, only 35 officers were patrolling SEPTAs service area at any given time, Bervine wrote. But workers like Berardi handle sensitive maintenance on SEPTAs Market-Frankford Line cars. The move also comes as SEPTA continues to struggle to recover ridership, which dropped during the height of the pandemic, and perceptions of danger dont help bring people back. This isnt a `rank-and-file issue. 860 talking about this. All tips can be kept confidential. Aggravated assaults and robberies in SEPTA stations, transit hubs, and vehicles rose more than 80% between 2019 and 2021, the agency said. Worse thing is taking so long to get to it., Very minimal what you have to pay and that includes family plan. Theres more to every story if you take the time to tell it. Omari Bervine, president of the FOP Lodge 109 the union for SEPTA transit police has pointed to understaffing as the root of this issue. SEPTA Police Chief Thomas J. Nestel III's best estimate was there were about 10 passengers in the close vicinity of Ngoy and the woman during the rape, which started about 9:52 p.m. and ended. Billy Joel & Stevie Nicks floor seat tickets, Regional rail stations were nearly empty in the wake of the coronavirus shutdown. My hope is that they take a real good look at the top of the SEPTA pyramid, their policies, Coyne said. next Police Academy class starting in July 2023. Museum for Art in Wood introduces Philly to the Islamic mashrabiya screen, Philly street sweeping starts again in April, Foal cam offers miraculous look at next generation of Pennsylvania-born race horses. Compensation. SEPTA: Dire finances prevent agency from paying out COVID death benefits. Receive Be on the Look Out alerts and send back information if you see the person being sought. A 29-year-old man was stabbed in the arm at Suburban Station during a confrontation during the early morning hours on Saturday. GOOD LUCK! The estimated total pay for a Septa Police Officer at Septa is $60,798 per year. Over the last year, SEPTA has hired unarmed guards and social outreach workersto monitor its facilities and work with vulnerable populations on trains. Numerous U.S. cities have police forces assigned to the public transit system. The average Septa salary ranges from approximately $36,718 per year for a Customer Service Representative to $111,809 per year for a Project Manager. Some riders question if this is the best way to do that. It comes as lawmakers have already ended elements of the emergencies that kept millions of Americans insured during the pandemic. Busch, the SEPTA spokesperson, said these initiatives will continue under acting chief Lawson. The community relies on everyone sharing. PhillyVoice Staff, Driver charged in fatal Christmas Eve hit-and-run in Bristol, Video shows bouncer punch man outside Center City bar, prompting homicide investigation, City Council pushes for more funding to address quality-of-life issues in underserved communities, by an Allied Universal Security Services employee, two people were pushed onto the subway tracks, Jason Kelce could make a 'Saturday Night Live' cameo with his brother Travis hosting, School District of Philadelphia to relocate Building 21 students following asbestos exposure, Eagles wide receiver Zach Pascal robbed at gunpoint in Maryland, Eli Lilly slashed insulin prices, starting a race to the bottom. Rampant overtime spending. If BP helped inform you, join as a member today! Ridership and revenue are both way down and the agency is considering service cuts. Also on Sunday, at 15th Street Station, a man was robbed at gunpoint an incident Bervine said was "overshadowed" by the amount of crime SEPTA saw over the weekend. Currently there are about 212 on the force, SEPTA spokesperson Busch said. Know Your Worth. Reporters Ryan Briggs with WHYYs PlanPhilly and Michaela Winberg with WHYYs Billy Penn uncovered this troubling pattern, which stands in stark relief next to SEPTAs recent statement it. Be contacted by a dispatcher to obtain additional information. I talked to Robert Strauss about this. The perennial child pleaser is 31 years old, but will only run on the Broad Street line this year. Kriz said workloads like his raised questions about safety for everyone involved including riders who depend on the specialist to keep subway cars in safe operating condition. All rights reserved. Still, Zarrinkelk acknowledges that many riders feel safer when they see SEPTA police at stations and on vehicles. The average Sheriff/Police Chief salary in Berlin, NJ is $122,555 as of January 26, 2023, but the range typically falls between $115,725 and $130,001. Im just dumbfounded, Robert Strauss, a professor of economics and public policy at Carnegie Mellon University, said of the spending. In-depth, original reporting on housing, transportation, and development. Busch said overtime spending was already down in the current fiscal year as SEPTA heads into a critical financial crisis tied to COVID-19. Michael Tanenbaum The job of a SEPTA transit officer can be dangerous, too. The suspect was identified as Fiston M. Ngoy, 35, who had a preliminary arraignment last Thursday on charges of rape, sexual assault, aggravated indecent assault and more, according to court. Others said the generous overtime payouts had warped the transit agencys workplace culture. It comes down to checking on him and checking on the work to see that the quality is where it needs to be.. Several high-profile incidents rocked the system last year, including a rape on a train that was caught on camera, a brutal attack by teens on a student of Asian descent, and shootings near or inside several busy transit hubs. "Maybe a little bit safer, but I mean I wish that the whole city changes to make things better and not just police officers," one rider said. And at the end of the fiscal year, he had earned $212,000 altogether. The union that represents SEPTA workers fought for a $500,000 death benefit a payout that New Yorks MTA provided over the summer. pic.twitter.com/ZJWy9sZedj. The previous top rate was $66,480 after 48 months of service. We have everyday emergencies that come up, Busch said. Want a digest of WHYYs programs, events & stories? This number represents the median, which is the midpoint of the ranges from our proprietary Total Pay Estimate model and based on salaries collected from our users. Electronic specialist Pietro Berardi, for example, earned 1,500 hours of overtime $91,000 on top of his $67,000 base salary, for a total annual haul of $159,000. These units receive an additional level of training and provide specialized support in policing a public transit system. As the transit police struggled with understaffing, union officials pointed to pay as a major sticking point in recruiting, with salaries for SEPTA transit police officers falling $10-15k. And it draws into question the management financially of this entire agency. A 21-year-old Delaware County man has been arrested in last month's fatal shooting of a Kensington man on SEPTA's Market-Frankford Line train, Philadelphia police said Wednesday. 2023 Flower Show Weekend Extra Regional Rail Train Service, Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority, Serving Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, and Philadelphia counties. This number represents the median, which is the midpoint of the ranges from our proprietary Total Pay Estimate model and based on salaries collected from our users. The citys next mayor will need to step up its involvement, writes transit advocate Matt Sullivan. Visit PayScale to research Septa salaries, bonuses, reviews, benefits, and more! SEPTAs Recruitment Department is currently accepting applications for the position of Transit Police Officer. And he earned $116,000 in overtime, which is more than his annual salary. WHYY is your source for fact-based, in-depth journalism and information. PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- It's the largest salary increase for SEPTA transit police officers in more than 20 years. 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