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500 More Officers Will Patrol Subway. Ocasio-Cortez Attacks Plan. 500 More Officers Will Patrol Subway. Ocasio-Cortez Attacks Plan.
(about 1 hour later)
When Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo announced a plan in June to hire 500 additional police officers to patrol New York City’s subway, he said they were needed to combat crime, reduce fare evasion and address the system’s growing homeless population. For months, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo and transit advocates have sparred over the governor’s plan to hire 500 additional police officers to patrol New York City’s subway.
But the proposal has drawn widespread condemnation from transit advocates, who say it is a poor use of financial resources at a time when violent crimes on the subway are declining and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority is facing a financial crisis. Mr. Cuomo has argued that the officers were needed to address crime, fare evasion and the system’s growing homeless population.
On Tuesday, Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the progressive Democrat from Queens and the Bronx, weighed in on the controversy in a letter to Mr. Cuomo, criticizing the project’s cost and arguing that increased policing on subways could harm the city’s communities of color. Opponents, including Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, called the proposal a poor use of funds at a time when violent crime on the subway is declining and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority is facing a financial crisis.
Still, the board of the M.T.A., which oversees the subways, is expected to approve Mr. Cuomo’s proposal on Wednesday as part of the agency’s new budget. The controversy culminated on Wednesday when the board of the M.T.A., which oversees the subways, approved Mr. Cuomo’s proposal as a part of the agency’s new budget. The board’s public meeting was interrupted with cries from protesters objecting to the new police. Seven of the protesters were removed by security officers.
The go-ahead came after Ms. Ocasio-Cortez, the progressive Democrat from Queens and the Bronx, weighed in on the debate on Tuesday in a letter to Mr. Cuomo, which criticized the project’s cost and argued that increased policing on subways could harm the city’s communities of color.
Patrick J. Foye, the M.T.A.’s chairman and chief executive, fired back at Ms. Ocasio-Cortez.Patrick J. Foye, the M.T.A.’s chairman and chief executive, fired back at Ms. Ocasio-Cortez.
“We will not engage in politics when it comes to public safety,” he said in a statement. “New Yorkers deserve to have reliable service and feel secure on our system. Adding additional uniformed police officers across the M.T.A. will help ensure safety and quality of life for our eight million daily customers.”“We will not engage in politics when it comes to public safety,” he said in a statement. “New Yorkers deserve to have reliable service and feel secure on our system. Adding additional uniformed police officers across the M.T.A. will help ensure safety and quality of life for our eight million daily customers.”
The plan would expand the police force that patrols the subway by 20 percent and would cost $249 million over the next four years. While the 2,500 officers who safeguard the subway now work for the city’s Police Department, the additional officers will work for the transit agency.The plan would expand the police force that patrols the subway by 20 percent and would cost $249 million over the next four years. While the 2,500 officers who safeguard the subway now work for the city’s Police Department, the additional officers will work for the transit agency.
“This is a major shift in policing policy. It’s something that is not the M.T.A.’s core mission and is not a responsible decision given their budget difficulties,” said Rachael Fauss, a senior research analyst at Reinvent Albany, a watchdog group.“This is a major shift in policing policy. It’s something that is not the M.T.A.’s core mission and is not a responsible decision given their budget difficulties,” said Rachael Fauss, a senior research analyst at Reinvent Albany, a watchdog group.
The M.T.A. is facing increasing budget deficits — the shortfall is expected to reach $433 million by 2023 — though officials have so far ruled out significant service cuts. While the agency will receive a major infusion of money when New York starts charging drivers to enter the busiest parts of Manhattan, the subway system still needs a major investment to modernize its antiquated equipment.The M.T.A. is facing increasing budget deficits — the shortfall is expected to reach $433 million by 2023 — though officials have so far ruled out significant service cuts. While the agency will receive a major infusion of money when New York starts charging drivers to enter the busiest parts of Manhattan, the subway system still needs a major investment to modernize its antiquated equipment.
The subway system has shown signs of improvement in recent months for the first time in nearly six years, with on-time performance climbing to over 80 percent. But subway leaders say elevating it to a 21st-century system will require an overhaul of the subway’s aging signals — and tens of billions of dollars.The subway system has shown signs of improvement in recent months for the first time in nearly six years, with on-time performance climbing to over 80 percent. But subway leaders say elevating it to a 21st-century system will require an overhaul of the subway’s aging signals — and tens of billions of dollars.
Transit advocates have argued that the cost of additional police would be better spent on those upgrades or, as an example, increasing subway service on weekends.Transit advocates have argued that the cost of additional police would be better spent on those upgrades or, as an example, increasing subway service on weekends.
“More frequent trains would mean shorter waits and less crowding, making the subway even safer,” said Danny Pearlstein, the communications director for The Riders Alliance, a transit advocacy group, in a statement.“More frequent trains would mean shorter waits and less crowding, making the subway even safer,” said Danny Pearlstein, the communications director for The Riders Alliance, a transit advocacy group, in a statement.
While the overall number of violent crimes has decreased so far this year compared with last year, some crimes like robberies are on the rise. And some regular riders have complained that they feel less safe riding subways outside of rush hours than they have in recent years. The overall number of violent crimes has decreased so far this year compared with last year. But certain crimes, like robberies, are on the rise and some regular riders have complained that they feel less safe riding subways outside of rush hours than they have in recent years.
“Folks who are saying we don’t need more police should imagine making that argument to one of the three people who were raped or to the people who were groped on the subway this year,” said Sarah E. Feinberg, an M.T.A. board member. “If they are thinking about it from this perspective, they wouldn’t say it isn’t worth investing in protecting people or preventing the next assault.”“Folks who are saying we don’t need more police should imagine making that argument to one of the three people who were raped or to the people who were groped on the subway this year,” said Sarah E. Feinberg, an M.T.A. board member. “If they are thinking about it from this perspective, they wouldn’t say it isn’t worth investing in protecting people or preventing the next assault.”
Mr. Cuomo has repeatedly defended the need for more police officers, arguing that riders will be leery of riding the trains, no matter how good service is, if they perceive them to be dangerous.Mr. Cuomo has repeatedly defended the need for more police officers, arguing that riders will be leery of riding the trains, no matter how good service is, if they perceive them to be dangerous.
“The trains have to run on time and they have to be safe,” the governor said recently. “You have to accomplish both. It is not one or the other.”“The trains have to run on time and they have to be safe,” the governor said recently. “You have to accomplish both. It is not one or the other.”
Mr. Cuomo has also raised concerns about assaults on transit workers, which have increased this year, as have instances of agitated passengers yelling at or threatening other riders. Some of those encounters have been caught on video and have been widely circulated on social media, stoking safety concerns.Mr. Cuomo has also raised concerns about assaults on transit workers, which have increased this year, as have instances of agitated passengers yelling at or threatening other riders. Some of those encounters have been caught on video and have been widely circulated on social media, stoking safety concerns.
In one particularly graphic instance, a video showed a man struggling with his attacker before he was fatally shot.In one particularly graphic instance, a video showed a man struggling with his attacker before he was fatally shot.
But videos of officers aggressively confronting commuters commiting minor offenses, like not paying the fare, or violating other subway rules have also fueled debate. One video showed the police briefly taking a woman selling churros into custody and confiscating her cart. But videos of officers aggressively confronting commuters committing minor offenses, like not paying the fare, or violating other subway rules have also fueled debate. One video showed the police briefly taking a woman selling churros into custody and confiscating her cart.
“Arresting hard-working people who cannot afford a $2.75 fare is, in effect the criminalization of poverty,” Ms. Ocasio Cortez wrote in the letter, which was also signed by New York Representatives Jerrold Nadler and José E. Serrano, both Democrats. “It will be these same communities that will be most affected if the subway system is bankrupt or if there are additional route cuts.”“Arresting hard-working people who cannot afford a $2.75 fare is, in effect the criminalization of poverty,” Ms. Ocasio Cortez wrote in the letter, which was also signed by New York Representatives Jerrold Nadler and José E. Serrano, both Democrats. “It will be these same communities that will be most affected if the subway system is bankrupt or if there are additional route cuts.”