New York Governor Kathy Hochul is deploying the state National Guard to New York City to assist the police in tackling a rise in subway crime.
Hochul unveiled a five-point plan on Wednesday, revealing that 750 National Guard members would be deployed to the subways to aid the New York Police Department in conducting bag searches at entrances to busy train stations.
She said, “For people who are thinking about bringing a gun or knife on the subway, at least this creates a deterrent effect. They might be thinking, ‘You know what, it just may just not be worth it because I listened to the mayor and I listened to the governor and they have a lot more people who are going to be checking my bags.'”
The plan encompasses an increase in state personnel to aid in NYPD’s bag inspection efforts, the introduction of a legislative proposal to empower judges with the authority to prohibit repeat violent offenders from accessing the subway, the installation of additional surveillance cameras within conductor cabins, enhanced coordination between prosecutors and law enforcement, and the expansion of outreach efforts alongside the existing Safe Options Support (SOS) teams.
Hochul stated, “Let me be very, very clear. These brazen, heinous attacks on our subway system will not be tolerated,” Hochul said. “This will not stand – not on my watch.”
The plan also included a legislative proposal to ban individuals convicted of assaulting subway passengers from trains for three years and an additional $20 million allocation for expanding subway outreach programs, though it is unclear how her administration plans on enforcing the subway ban.
The governor’s announcement comes a day after Mayor Eric Adams announced intentions to reintroduce enhanced security measures at specific stations across the five boroughs.
Critics, such as Donna Lieberman of the New York Civil Liberties Union, argue that the governor’s approach represents an overzealous response that may revive ineffective and controversial policing tactics from the past.
Mayor Adams, who could not attend Hochul’s briefing due to scheduling conflicts, has been vocal on various media platforms about addressing the issue of repeat offenders, which he identifies as the core problem.
“We don’t have a surge in crime, we have a surge in recidivism,” Adams articulated.
Amidst these strategic deployments, New York City has seen a mix of progress and persistent challenges.
While overall crime rates have shown signs of decline since the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the subway system has been the scene of several violent acts, including stabbings and unprovoked attacks, that have left the city on edge.
Last week, a subway conductor was stabbed in the neck in Brooklyn, a 27-year-old was slashed in hand in Manhattan, and a 61-year-old man was stabbed in the stomach in the Bronx, all in three separate incidents of transit violence within 48 hours.
This week, another incident occurred where a man was kicked onto the tracks at Penn Station.
In response, the NYPD has ramped up its efforts, resulting in a 17% reduction in subway crime following the addition of 1,000 officers to the transit beat.
However, subway crime is still up 13% compared to the last year. The NYPD transit police are currently investigating 86 assaults, an increase from last year’s 77.
Also, three homicides occurred in the subway system during January and February.
