NYC Will increase Police in Subways to Fight Crime

After a spate of violent deaths on the subway raised security considerations in New York Metropolis, Governor Kathy Hochul and Mayor Eric Adams on Saturday introduced plans to extend their presence. cops within the transit system.

Hochul, a Democrat lower than three weeks away from Election Day, mentioned the state would assist the town pay an additional 1,200 extra time a day for cops patrolling the subway to maintain individuals protected. New Yorkers, together with persevering with to put in cameras inside practice automobiles.

Ms Hochul mentioned many New Yorkers are involved about crime on the subway and she is going to “deal with getting again to feeling protected”.

The plan, introduced at a joint press convention on the Grand Central Terminal in Manhattan, is the newest in a collection of efforts to sort out subway violence – a burning drawback at this time. worsened in the course of the pandemic and really troublesome to take care of for elected officers. Quickly after Mr. Adams took workplace in January, he and Ms. Hochul held an analogous occasion to announce plans to extend police patrols.

However the violence continued. There have been 9 homicides on the subway this yr – a lot increased than 5 years earlier than the pandemic, when there have been about two homicides per yr on common.

A person was not too long ago killed by the Queens subway practice after falling onto the tracks throughout a rush hour practice platform brawl, and a 15-year-old boy was fatally shot on the Queens subway practice. One other man was stabbed to dying whereas using a practice in Brooklyn final month, and a homeless man was arrested for homicide.

Mr. Adams famous that 40% of homicides are attributed to individuals with a historical past of psychological well being issues.

Mr. Adams, a former transit cop and a Democrat who ran for mayor with a public security message, delivered conflicting messages about crime. In Might, he mentioned he had “by no means seen a criminal offense of this degree,” although it is a lot decrease now than it was within the Nineties. However he additionally argued that he did. is taking down sure kinds of crime and has blamed the media for inflicting the panic, prompting a canopy of the New York Submit on Friday to indicate Mr. Adams using a unicorn and dwelling in a ” fantasy land”.

“If New Yorkers do not feel protected, we’re failing,” Adams mentioned Saturday, including that the purpose of the brand new plan is “inclusiveness of cops and elimination of who’re coping with psychological well being points. “

For her half, Hochul is going through a stronger-than-expected problem from Consultant Lee Zeldin, the Republican candidate for governor, as she runs for her first time period. Two current polls present Ms Hochul’s lead over Mr Zeldin shrinking.

Ms. Hochul got here up with a brand new slogan for the metro plan: “Police, Digicam and Care.” She mentioned the Metropolitan Transport Authority, the state transit company, had put in greater than 200 cameras on subway trains following her announcement final month that officers would set up two safety cameras on the subway. per prescription. She mentioned the state would make a “vital funding” from the state’s public emergency fund to pay for extra time shifts.

The governor additionally mentioned the state will create two new items at psychiatric facilities, together with 50 inpatient beds, to assist individuals with severe psychological sicknesses. And he or she mentioned that the MTA police, a separate pressure, could be deployed to metro stations at 4 fundamental commuter rail hubs, together with Penn Station and Grand Central Station.

The top of the town’s main police union instantly criticized the subway security plan and mentioned that persevering with to require police to work lengthy hours is unsustainable, particularly as many officers left workplace.

“Elevated workload is crushing the officers who keep,” Patrick J. Lynch, president of the Benevolent Police Affiliation, mentioned in an announcement. “The reply is to not pressure them to have extra Previous Testomony coercion.”

As a substitute, Mr. Lynch referred to as for increased wages and higher working situations to retain officers. He says the thought of ​​omnipotence is an “phantasm”.

Mr. Adams endorsed Hochul as governor, and so they have established a greater working relationship than their predecessors, former Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and former Mayor Invoice de Blasio, who had been related proceed to battle in public. Nonetheless, Mr Adams pushed Ms Hochul to make adjustments to bail reform to make it simpler to maintain individuals in jail, offering a speaking level for Mr. Zeldin.

Robert F. Holden, a Democratic Metropolis Councilman from Queens who helps Mr. Zeldin, mentioned on Saturday that having extra officers on the subway wouldn’t assist scale back crime if lawmakers did not both. Modification of assure measures.

“That is welcome information, however with out altering the legislation, these further officers will solely rearrange the identical individuals,” he mentioned. “Authorities. Kathy Hochul should name an emergency session of the State Legislature and repeal bail reform.”

When state and metropolis officers had been requested Saturday whether or not having officers on subway platforms really reduces violence, the town’s police commissioner, Keechant Sewell, mentioned. that it might probably assist in some circumstances or result in a fast arrest of a violator.

In January, when Michelle Go, 40, was killed after being pushed in entrance of a practice at Occasions Sq. station, transit officers mentioned six officers had been assigned to the station, together with two individuals within the space the place Ms. Go lives. to push.

When Mr. Adams was requested Saturday about homeless individuals feeling safer on the subway than within the shelter system, he mentioned the town wouldn’t “permit individuals who endanger themselves and others to different individuals stroll our approach.”

“In the event you’re schizophrenic, in case you’re bipolar, in case you’re strolling the subway system shirtless in 20-degree climate, with out footwear, scold your self,” he says. , “How do you make that call, how do I really feel higher about being within the subway system? “

Karen Zraickcontribution report.