The New York City subway has seen a slight decline in crime since officers began patrolling overnight trains earlier this year, data shows.
NYPD statistics show that crime in the system fell 7% between January 20th.
Mayor Eric Adams has touted the overall decline in subway mayhem since the beginning of the year, and put on a hat on new policing efforts to drive trends.
“In collaboration with the governor, the NYPD has begun putting police officers on all trains over the night of seven days from January to January. These efforts have led to a 28% reduction in subway crime,” Adams told reporters Thursday, citing data showing larger views in January and February compared to the two months of 2024.
“We are talking about the record lows of subway crime following the system's second year in a row of decline in index crime.
NYPD statistics show that crime on the subway between January 1st and Monday was just under 22% compared to last year. It has fallen almost 13% since 2023.
Police Commissioner Jessica Tish deployed extra officers to board the train, with the support of Gov. Kathy Hokul, who provided additional funding to the city to flood the transport system from 9pm to 5am each night.
Strapangers said they noticed a rise in subway officers, but they didn't know how productive the strategy was close to police officers close enough to cover hundreds of trains.
“You see them patrol cars at night, and I think there's some security in knowing they're there,” said 23-year-old Damerae Beckford.
“But the problem is usually a few policemen, there are eight cars on the train, and most of the S-T happen so quickly, so if the cops aren't there in that second, it's too late.
“It's good to assign who they can save,” he continued, adding, “I don't know if it's that effective or not.”
Joey Cruz, an Astoria business owner who lives in Manhattan and rides the subway late at night, said he was relieved to meet the police on the train.
“When I see officers, especially when I'm on the train in the middle of the night, I feel better,” Cruz, 61, told the Port Authority Post.
“It makes me feel safer when I see them on the train or on the platform,” he added. “But you can't pay much attention, so I'm still looking around.
“They make a difference just being there. I can see it.”
Another rider, Jaden Pugh, 26, said he only saw the patrol “sporadicate.”
“I watch the cops some nights, I don't see the other nights,” he said.
“If that's assigned to do something, I'm sure they'll be there, but there are more subway cars than the cops,” Pooh said. “You can slash the guy in the face, get off and run, and the police aren't going to catch you unless he happens to be there.
“They need to understand how to get these bad people out of the train from the start. Assigning more cops just puts band-aids in the matter.”
– Additional report by Georgett Roberts
