Extra police deployment underway in subways to combat recent rise of crimes
NEW YORK CITY (WABC) -- Thursday marked the beginning of the massive police deployment in New York City subways amid the recent rise in subway crimes.
The deployment comes after Gov. Kathy Hochul revealed her five-point plan to bring additional state resources to bear on combatting subway crime in New York City. The new deployment allowed for an additional 1,000 NYPD officers ordered into the subway last month to conduct bag checks and follows the slashing of a conductor and other high profile crimes.
The first police officers Eyewitness News observed were catching fare beaters at Columbus Circle, while even more police officers were seen watching the platforms at 72nd Street.
"Yeah, I think so," said rider Craig Issac on if the extra police presence will make a difference. "Because even just seeing someone in authority on the trains will probably prevent, you know, any type of crime from happening."
Teams of uninformed police officers were seen at stations on the East and West Side handing out summonses, stopping on and off the trains and doing check-ins with conductors.
"It is important to have them around," said one conductor.
"Yeah, I feel it's safe enough," said rider Veronica Rok. "But I also feel like I'm taking a little bit of a risk."
Those travelling in Grand Central saw National Guard soldiers watching the crowds.
Marlene Onoyeyan was waiting to take the LIRR to Queens because she's terrified of the subway.
"It would take a lot at this point," said Onoyeyan to Eyewitness News. "I don't trust it anymore."
Thursday night saw teams of transit cops fanning out the busy Barclays Center in Brooklyn, waiting for scofflaw straphangers.
"Their main mission is engaging with acts of lawlessness," said NYPD Transit Bureau Deputy Chief Timothy Skretch. "That's jumping the turnstile, use of drugs in the system, urinating in the system, and all type of complaints that we get from our riders."
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