Hundreds More Cops Being Stationed Along NYC Subway Lines

Although Democratic New York Gov. Kathy Hochul attracted criticism for her decision to deploy National Guard troops to conduct searches and bag searches along the New York City subway line, there is no denying the fact that crime in the underground transit system has become unmanageable. 

Shortly before an individual was allegedly pushed onto the tracks as a train approached and died as a result, authorities confirmed on Monday that hundreds of additional law enforcement officers will be sent to the subway system, specifically to address turnstile jumpers attempting to avoid paying their fare. 

“The tone of law and order starts at the turnstile,” said New York Police Department Chief of Transit Michael Kemper. 

The roughly 800 officers will include both uniformed and plainclothes personnel in the continuation of a crackdown that has already shown results. More than 1,700 individuals have been arrested for jumping turnstiles thus far in 2024 than the 965 arrested during the same period last year. Another roughly 28,000 tickets have been handed out this year for attempting to evade subway fare. 

Of course, turnstile jumpers are far from the only criminal threat found in the nation’s busiest subway line. In addition to the individual who was allegedly pushed onto the tracks just after Monday’s news conference, another victim was reportedly stabbed multiple times by a suspect during an altercation over smoking on the train. That was just one of three stabbing incidents either in or near subway stations in the Big Apple during a one-day period. 

While subway crime has attracted the attention of locals across the ideological spectrum, there has also been bipartisan backlash over Hochul’s decision to station armed military service members at strategic positions along the transit line. 

U.S. Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY) described the governor’s move as an overreach caused by her realization that policies she has initiated or supported have led to the spike in crime across the state’s most populous city. 

“They’re feeling the heat,” she said of Hochul and other Democrats in the state. “They’re feeling the pressure. New Yorkers know they’re responsible for illegal immigration, for supporting criminals and making our streets less safe. They’re just desperately trying to figure out a way to look like they’re doing something.”