Roughly 200 SEPTA Police Officers Go on Strike

Philadelphia police say they'll increase security along the public transit system that serves the city and surrounding areas following a walkout by 200 transit police officers.

Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority officials say they don't anticipate the strike called Wednesday by the Fraternal Order of Transit Police affecting transit operations or service.

SEPTA spokesman Richard Maloney calls the walkout "unnecessary." He says the key sticking point has been pensions and he hopes talks resume soon.

Police say additional personnel will be deployed at two dozen critical points to provide security at school dismissal times and during rush hour.

SEPTA is the nation's sixth-largest public transportation system. It offers buses, trolleys, subways and regional trains between Philadelphia and Bucks, Chester, Delaware and Montgomery counties in Pennsylvania as well as New Jersey and Delaware. It has 270 officers.

(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press.  All Rights Reserved.)