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#De Blasio to add 250 NYPD officers to NYC subway system

#De Blasio to add 250 NYPD officers to NYC subway system

The city will temporarily add 250 more police officers to its NYPD subway patrols, Mayor Bill de Blasio said Monday — bowing to months of pressure from MTA leaders concerned about crime in the city’s mass transit system.

The influx of cops brings the total number of officers patrolling the subways to 3,250, de Blasio said — making it the largest show of NYPD force on mass transit in at least 25 years.

“We’re going to send a really powerful message,” Hizzoner said during his Monday morning press briefing. “We’re going to do what it takes.”

The subways saw 2.32 felony crimes per million riders in March 2021, the most recent stats available — versus just 1.47 per million riders across the year 2019.

Amid a spate of attacks in the system, MTA officials have asked de Blasio and the NYPD to add more and more police officers. The mayor relented with around 500 cops in February, but crime persisted — including a vicious string of alleged gang-related slashings on Friday.

Mayor Bill de Blasio attends Public Engagement Unit's Day of Action.
Mayor de Blasio shifted blame to the MTA, saying they need “to focus the police force where the riders are.”
ZUMAPRESS.com

The alleged perpetrators were arrested hours after the slashing attacks, which occurred along the 6 and D train lines in Manhattan. The mayor insisted the quick arrest “[shows] there is accountability.”

Hizzoner also took some parting swipes at MTA leadership, with whom he has feuded over the extent and severity of subway crimes.

NYPD transit cops on patrol at the Columbus Circle Station.
The addition of extra officers brings the total number of cops patrolling the subways to 3,250.
Christopher Sadowski

De Blasio called out transit leaders for hundreds of vacancies in the agency’s in-house police department and said the city would provide NYPD training for the new cops whom the MTA hires.

NYC Transit Interim President Sarah Feinberg.
MTA leaders, like Interim Transit President Sarah Feinberg, have voiced concerns about crime in the city’s mass transit system.
Dennis A. Clark

“We need the MTA to pull their own weight as well. It is easy to criticize. How about simply contributing and helping achieve the mission together?” the mayor asked.

“The MTA needs to step up, they need to hire, they need to fill those vacancies, then they need to do another thing, they’ve got to focus the police force where the riders are.”

NYPD transit cops on patrol on a subway train.
New York City subways saw 2.32 felony crimes per million riders in March 2021.
Michael Appleton

Speaking to the business group A Better New York on Monday, MTA Chairman Pat Foye commended the mayor for the additional officers on the beat — but said it still wasn’t enough.

NYPD officers inside a subway station.
Last week, the city saw multiple slashing attacks against subway riders.
Anthony Behar/Sipa USA

“I spoke to the mayor last night about this. I think the addition of 250 officers is a very positive step forward,” he said. “The MTA has been, and will continue adding an additional 100 MTA police officers to the subway.”

“I think we need more beyond that, but the dialogue between the MTA, and the state and the city should continue and I thank the mayor for the additional police officers.”

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