New NYPD commissioner: More cops to patrol subways

In her first major crime-fighting initiative since taking office Jan. 1, NYPD Commissioner Keechant Sewell announced Thursday a surge of cops into the subways, increasing the number of transit cops and giving other officers from precincts and specialized units the responsibility of watching station entrances and platforms.

The NYPD has had surges of cops into the subways over the last two years. But the latest initiative was announced in a joint news conference with Gov. Kathy Hochul, Mayor Eric Adams and Sewell at the Fulton Street subway station near City Hall. Hochul used the appearance to tout her new initiatives in New York City to deal with chronic street homelessness, such as the creation of tens of thousands of housing units.

Shifting to the subway system, Adams said the new police initiative was designed to get cops to deal with crime and not be "street sweepers" getting homeless people out of the subways.

"This comprehensive new approach is centered on having more police officers on train cars talking with riders and listening to them because NYPD officers do not just respond to crime in our city — they prevent it and deter it," Sewell said in a prepared statement.

"These measures mean that NYPD officers will be on targeted patrols in the subway system throughout each day, " said Sewell, noting that the goals were to deter crime and get assistance to subway riders as quickly as possible.

While according to police data subway crime through November 2021 was actually down about 3.6 percent from 2020, public perception that the underground system was unsafe stemmed from some recent highly publicized incidents of people being attacked on platforms and in some cases being pushed onto the tracks. In addition, former NYPD Commissioner Bill Bratton expressed outrage when he showed in a social media post a number of homeless people sleeping in a subway car.

Under Sewell’s plan, the current number of about 2,500 transit cops will be increased by an unspecified amount. But crucial to expanding the range of the current subway force will be the way other officers in specialized units and above-ground patrol commands will be tasked with the responsibility of watching station entrances and platforms so that transit officers can spend more time on the trains.

Officials plan to use overtime spending to have cops provide additional coverage, although it was unclear Thursday how much money Adams would have to request to cover the costs. In some cases cops, in above-ground precinct administrative jobs will be deployed underground, Sewell said.

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By Anthony M. DeStefano

tony.destefano@newsday.comtonynewsday

Anthony M. DeStefano has been a reporter for Newsday since 1986 and covers law enforcement, criminal justice and legal affairs from its New York City offices.