New York State Governor Kathy Hochul said she will dispatch 1,000 state personnel to aid the New York City Policy Department to combat rising crime in the subway.
There will be 750 National Guard members, as well as 250 state and Metropolitan Transit Authority police officers that will assist the NYPD to do bag checks in heavily trafficked areas, Hochul said at a press conference on Wednesday.
“Since taking office, I have been laser-focused on driving down subway crime and protecting New Yorkers," Hochul said. "I am sending a message to all New Yorkers: I will not stop working to keep you safe and restore your peace of mind whenever you walk through those turnstiles."
The governor also unveiled a five-point plan, which includes a new program that will allow judges to ban people convicted of an assault within the system from using MTA services as part of sentencing.
In addition, the governor said she will convene regular meetings to occur between law enforcement, transit personnel and district attorneys. The MTA will also hire a new Criminal Justice Advocate to assist the victims of crime in the system, and MTAPD will develop a new early warning system to flag recidivist offenders for district attorney offices during booking processes, according to a news release.
The MTA will also accelerate the installation of cameras inside trains, and will be given $20 million to grow their existing SCOUT team pilot program, which helps New Yorkers gain access to mental health treatment and supportive housing.
"We can’t afford to not act," said MTA Chair and chief executive Janno Lieber. "The transit system is too important to the City and region to allow the perception of safety, or lack of it, to scare people away.”
