PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — SEPTA has given the green light to a plan to replace its contracted security guards with so-called “guides.”
Their goal is to improve safety on the system.
It’s a move away from uniformed security guards and a move toward ambassadors who will ride the system.
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Without comment, the SEPTA board Thursday unanimously approved $20 million in contracts with three Philadelphia-based security firms – Extrity, Scotlandyard, and the Philadelphia Protection Unit.
The firms are to provide a total of 88 guides who will not have enforcement powers.
This new program would create 40 daytime guides and 40 in the evening, with eight guides available to open and close stations overnight to free up Transit Police for other duties.
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SEPTA General Manager Leslie Richards said the new ambassadors will remind riders of the rules on the Market-Frankford and Broad Street Lines, and contact Transit Police if necessary.
“The guide program, which was approved today, with further enhance the network of eyes and ears available on the system to watch over our rides," said Richards.
The guides would replace security guards from Allied Universal, hired last year in response to drug use and vandalism at stations on the Market-Frankford Line.
SEPTA Police Chief Thomas Nestel said that last year, only about 20 guards were ever deployed, and two of them made headlines in confrontations with riders.
