In a move that has stirred both approval and skepticism, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul has announced the deployment of an additional 250 National Guard members to bolster security in New York City's subways during the holiday season. This ramp-up brings the total support to 1,000 troops and falls in line with a strategy Hochul says has been effective in reducing subway crime since March, as reported by CBS News.
While some see the bolstered security presence as a comfort, particularly with the inflow of nearly 8 million visitors to the city, transit advocates and civil rights attorneys are questioning the strategy's focus. "If you were to multiply that police force by 10, you're not going to stop crimes from happening until you change the conditions that lead to crime," civil rights and criminal defense attorney Mayo Barlett told CBS News, underscoring the criticism of failing to address underlying social issues regarding public safety.
Despite criticisms, Hochul has cited a 10% drop in subway crime since the initial deployment of 750 National Guard members, while also noting the installation of security cameras in every subway car. "Thanks to our five-point plan to improve public safety, subway crime is down 10% just since last March. And only two years since the year 1970 have we had fewer subway crimes than we had last year," Hochul remarked during the announcement, according to CBS News.
On platforms and trains, where critics argue the need for improved safety is greatest, National Guard members instead have a visual dominance at the turnstiles. "Especially Black and Brown New Yorkers get stopped a lot more than white New Yorkers, and we see a whole lot more ticketing for fare evasion ... None of that increases people's feeling of safety on subway," Insha Rahman, vice president of advocacy and partnerships for the Vera Institute of Justice, told CBS News.
Alongside the security boost, the MTA is advancing the SCOUT program designed to deliver mental health outreach—a move that Hochul argues is robust but hindered by state laws that require change. Meanwhile, the MTA has implemented a fare hike as part of its new financial plan, despite the call for more investment in mental health services rather than increased policing, as some critics suggest. The announcement of additional National Guard troops coincided with reports by Gothamist of a 27-year high in assaults within the subway system last year, a statistic illustrating the complex landscape of public safety in New York's transit system.
