New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced Wednesday that she is deploying 1,000 additional officers into subways following a spike in transit crime.
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To supplement the NYPD’s enhanced baggage checks at heavily trafficked areas, Governor Hochul is deploying 1,000 members of State personnel to assist the NYPD’s mission to further this effort.
This includes 250 members from the New York State Police and the MTA Police Department. In addition, Governor Hochul is directing the National Guard to make the 750 members currently deployed on Joint Task Force Empire Shield available to supplement this effort under the supervision of law enforcement.
These checks will be targeted at heavily trafficked locations.
Governor Hochul also announced a new program bill that will allow judges to ban people convicted of an assault within the system from using MTA services as part of sentencing.
There is currently a provision that allows a transit ban as a term of sentencing for individuals who assault transit workers, and under Governor Hochul’s plan, this same provision would be extended to include assaults of anyone within the system.
To improve coordination between law enforcement, transit personnel and district attorneys, Governor Hochul will initiate regular meetings between stakeholders to coordinate information sharing regarding holding dangerous, repeat offenders within the system accountable.
This will assist district attorneys with their casework and support existing efforts to keep violent offenders off the streets and out of the subways. The first meeting will take place next week, and will be held regularly to ensure sustained coordination.
To assist with this process, 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.
Governor Hochul is announcing the installation of new cameras focused on conductor cabins to protect workers. These cameras will significantly assist law enforcement personnel as they search for assailants targeting transit workers. Governor Hochul is directing MTA to rapidly deploy these cameras throughout the system.
Since January, MTA has deployed a SCOUT team pilot program in partnership with New York City, in addition to the successful SOS teams across the subway system, established and supported by Governor Hochul.
SCOUT teams have the capacity to address the most severe cases of mental health crisis within the subway system, and assist New Yorkers in gaining access to mental health treatment and supportive housing.
Governor Hochul is directing $20 million to rapidly scale this pilot and bring the total number of SCOUT teams to ten by the end of 2025. ■