Democratic New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and Democratic New York City Mayor Eric Adams announced a new initiative Saturday to crack down on crime in the city’s subway system.
The plan, called “Cops, Cameras, and Care,” will add 1,200 daily police officer shifts to subway platforms and dedicated psychiatric units, according to a news release by Hochul’s office.
“My number one priority as Governor is keeping New Yorkers safe in the streets, in their homes, in their schools, and on the subway, and we do whatever it takes to make our subways safer for riders,” Hochul said in the news release.
New Yorkers deserve a safe transit system. I’m in Manhattan with @NYCMayor announcing major actions to enhance safety and security for our riders. Watch live: https://t.co/mIRedgUY70
— Governor Kathy Hochul (@GovKathyHochul) October 22, 2022
The initiative is also expected to help the New York State Office of Mental Health expand its crisis intervention training for first responders in New York City, according to the news release.
“This effort will help with two things New Yorkers desperately want: The addition of hundreds of additional strategically deployed officers on our trains and help to those suffering from serious mental illness so they can find a way out of the subway system,” Adams said in the news release. “The bottom line is that riders will see more officers in the system, and so will those thinking of breaking the law.” (RELATED: NYC Man Barely Escapes Passing Train After Being Shoved Onto Subway Tracks)
During an interview with CNN host Chris Wallace, Mayor Adams came under fire for his “party lifestyle” amid the city’s crime crisis.
The announcement also comes on the heels of a new ad campaign for Hochul that focuses on her record on crime including restricting gun laws, according to the New York Post. Hochul is leading over Republican challenger Rep. Lee Zeldin by less than two points, according to a poll released Oct. 4. A poll released Friday showed Zeldin inching past Hochul, according to the NY Post.
The initiative also comes as New York City has seen 42% more officers retiring this year compared to the same time in 2021, according to the New York Post. The number of murders in the city’s subway system hit a 25-year high in 2022. Crime in the subway system is also up 42% in 2022 compared to the same time period in 2021.
