It’s an in a single day success.
Gov. Kathy Hochul acted like she reinvented the wheel Wednesday as she basked in new crime knowledge hinting that her surge of in a single day NYPD cops on trains made the subways dramatically — and traditionally — safer.
The triumphant governor proudly introduced she’ll lengthen the nightly surge, doubling down on the patrols that started in January.
“It was imagined to be momentary, however I do know New Yorkers inform me they really feel safer after they see officers on board, so we’re going to proceed doing that for the months to return,” she stated at an occasion highlighting a dramatic drop in transit crime.
However many particulars on the extension remained scant, together with what number of cops shall be deployed and for the way lengthy.
Requested for extra specifics, a governor’s workplace spokesperson didn’t cough them up and solely provided obscure generalities.
“The expanded police presence within the subway system is ongoing and the deployment of officers will proceed to evolve primarily based on crime knowledge and traits,” the spokesperson stated.
NYPD officers didn’t instantly reply to requests for remark.
“We are going to check out what’s working and what isn’t and re-evaluate as wanted,” stated Kayla Mamelak, spokeswoman for Mayor Eric Adams.
Hochul’s unique surge announcement in January — made throughout her “State of the State” speech — caught many within the NYPD without warning, because it provided few particulars over how the stretched-thin NYPD would employees the hassle, and even when it’d start. However with cooperation from Metropolis Corridor and state funds the plan went by means of.
The governor finally revealed that it’d value $154 million — with town and state splitting the invoice — to cowl the extra time required to place two cops on all 150 in a single day subway trains.
However Hochul needed to scramble to give you the state’s $77 million share, which was finally authorised by Albany lawmakers in New York’s finances.
The surge’s extension shall be funded, not less than partly, by $77 million the state already put aside for the surge, Hochul stated.
Hochul acknowledged in July that the funds hadn’t been utterly drawn down but, and it’s unclear how a lot money the state has left to fund the cops.
Whatever the surge’s messy rollout, it does seem to have helped cut back crime on the subways.
The governor and MTA honcho Janno Lieber took a victory lap on NYPD knowledge exhibiting this July and August had been the most secure for these months within the transit system’s historical past.
Felony assaults are down 21% this yr in comparison with the identical level in 2024, transit crime knowledge exhibits.
And main crimes within the transit system have fallen almost 16% in comparison with pre-pandemic 2019, in keeping with knowledge.
“Mission achieved, (is) not popping out of my lips, as a result of I need to stand right here subsequent summer season and inform you that we are able to beat this yr’s report,” Hochul stated.
