New York Governor Kathy Hochul has come under fire from the Transit Workers Union Local 100 following her decision to deploy the National Guard in a bid to curb subway crimes.
Last week, Hochul unveiled a plan to enhance subway security, deploying 750 National Guard members alongside NYPD and MTA officers to conduct random bag checks.
This initiative aims to bolster security measures by leveraging National Guard support and increasing the presence of state and MTA personnel throughout the subway system, ensuring the safety of New Yorkers.
The TWU stated, “Governor Hochul’s deployment of the National Guard acknowledges the serious problem of transit crime. But it falls short of providing a sustainable, long-term solution to transit crime.”
The union has pointedly criticized the approach of Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg and MTA Chair Janno Lieber, accusing them of insufficient action and a passive stance on critical issues like banning known offenders from the subway system and addressing the challenges posed by the homeless and mentally ill.
The TWU also furthered its protest by placing a full-page advertisement in the New York Post, depicting Bragg and MTA Chairman Janno Lieber as “Dumb and Dumber.”
“We need for our members to come to work safe, [and] go back home to their families safe. We need for the riding public to be safe and want to ride the transit system,” stated Richard Davis, President of TWU Local 100, emphasizing the need for comprehensive safety measures.
Governor Hochul responded to the criticisms, especially concerning the National Guard’s military-grade weaponry, by clarifying her stance.
“People were asking for us to do something. So, what I could do, because I have the resources available to me as governor, I could bring in people to stand and be a supportive role, to be a deterrent,” Hochul explained, highlighting her intention for the National Guard’s role to be primarily supportive and a deterrent, rather than militaristic.
Meanwhile, the MTA and the office of the Manhattan District Attorney have defended their efforts in combating subway crime.
The MTA, in a statement, said, “Crime is down in transit over the last month…The NYPD is the finest police department in the world, and we have full confidence in its ability to keep New Yorkers safe, especially after they surged a thousand more officers into the subway system.”
The Manhattan DA’s office remarked, “Manhattan is the only borough in the city where transit crime is down…The continued decrease in transit crime throughout the borough is the result of our comprehensive strategy and close collaboration with our law enforcement partners.”
On Tuesday, Mayor Eric Adams commended the inclusion of the National Guard and state police in the transit system, acknowledging their valuable presence.
Adams stated, “I would love to have that state trooper standing there. I think their uniforms are cool as hell. Having them being there, standing in the subway system. People like seeing it. That’s what we are fighting.”
