Not a Homeless Shelter: Police Commissioner Unveils New Subway Plan to Address Crime and Quality of Life Issues
Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch’s Three-Point Plan
Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch charged on Thursday that the city’s subway system is not a “homeless shelter” as she announced that she is directing cops to address quality of life issues underground.
Addressing Disorder in the Subway
The remarks came during the State of the NYPD address in Midtown, during which Tisch outlined a three-point plan to address disorder in the bowels of the city and reassure riders. Tisch began by reiterating that she is taking transit cops away from posts on mezzanines and by turnstiles and redirecting them to the platforms and subway cars where she says 78% of transit crime takes place. She also noted that some 200 cops surged to the most problematic train stations, citing a 36% drop in subway crime so far in January.
“But people still don’t feel safe,” she remarked.
Addressing Quality of Life Issues
Despite the statistics, a slew of high-profile crimes in the subway system rocked the city to its core. On December 22, 2024, Guatemala migrant Sebastian Zapeta-Calil allegedly set Debrina Kawam on fire as she slept aboard a Coney Island F train, burning her to death, which was caught on horrific video. Nine days later, on December 31, Joe Lynskey was shoved in front of an oncoming 1 train on 18th Street and 7th Avenue station, allegedly by Kamel Hawkins. Nineteen-year-old Andrew Pashinin was arrested on January 21 for a non-fatal Brooklyn subway shove of a 33-year-old man in Brooklyn following an argument.
This led to an overnight surge that has placed two cops on every nightly subway train in the city, which went into full effect on Monday. While some are concerned about losing cops on other patrols to this new redeployment, Tisch said that many of the cops being put on the trains came from previously working desk jobs.
New Initiative to Address Quality of Life Issues
The third part of the new initiative will now see a renewed focus on cops addressing quality of life issues, most notably the likes of drinking and smoking as well as taking up more than one seat by laying outstretched, which has become more common as the city’s most vulnerable, such as homeless and migrants, have retreated into the subway.
“We want this message to be very clear: Our officers will not simply walk by someone who is violating the law and disrupting passengers. We are going to correct the condition,” Tisch said. “Our subway trains and platforms are not homeless shelters, they are not psychiatric hospitals. And as a city, we have a moral duty to provide services to people who need them.”
Conclusion
The new initiative aims to address the growing concerns about crime and quality of life in the subway system. By redirecting cops to the platforms and subway cars where most crime takes place and providing training to deal with emotionally disturbed individuals, the NYPD hopes to restore a sense of safety and order to the city’s underground transportation system.
FAQs
* What is the new initiative aimed at addressing?
The new initiative is aimed at addressing quality of life issues in the subway system, including drinking and smoking, as well as taking up more than one seat by laying outstretched.
* How many cops will be deployed to the subway system?
Two cops will be deployed to every nightly subway train in the city.
* What is the cost of the new initiative?
The cost of the new initiative is contingent upon overtime practices, which means it could range between $61 million to $159 million.
* When will the new training program for cops be rolled out?
The new training program for cops will be rolled out this year, beginning with the newest recruit class.
