MAX
COURIER LIFE, J M BR B G UNE 21–27, 2019 29
Cuomo OKs more
transit offi cers
WAVING GOODBYE TO CRIME: Governor Cuomo announced
a major crackdown against transit crime at a June 17 press
conference in Midtown Manhattan. Kevin P. Coughlin
BY AIDAN GRAHAM
Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced
a major crackdown
to combat violence
and fare evasion on subways
and buses, committing
an additional 500
uniformed offi cers to the
city’s transit system.
“Fare evasion is a
growing, monetarily signifi
cant problem,” the
governor said at a June 17
press conference. “More
and more people are evading
the fare, and getting
on the trains without paying.
That’s not only a legal
violation, it’s unfair to everyone.”
Of the newly commissioned
transit-cops, 400
will be reassigned offi -
cers who currently patrol
for the MTA and the
NYPD, and 100 will be redeployed
Bridge and Tunnel
offi cers — whose jobs
have become obsolete
thanks to automatic tolling
on highways, according
to Cuomo.
The transit cops will focus
on patrolling 100 subway
stops and bus routes
which authorities have
deemed ‘hotspots’ for farebeaters
and bruisers.
Cuomo said the effort
would help recoup
missed revenue for the
cash strapped subway
system, which lost out on
$243 million over the last
12 months, according to
a recently released MTA
study.
The additional law enforcement
agents will also
work to combat the growing
numbers of assaults
that occur on subways
and busses, according to
Cuomo, who highlighted
another report on violence
against transit
workers from 2013 to 2017.
“We’ve seen 2,300 harassments
incidents of
MTA employees. One
hundred assaults — stabbings,
punchings violence
— against MTA employees,”
the governor said.
“It’s incomprehensible to
me. It’s a true problem,
and it’s getting worse.”
NYPD Police Commissioner
James O’Neill said
the additional forces were
needed to help prevent
crimes against civilian
subway riders.
“Our priority is to keep
the nearly six million riders
who use the subway
each day safe, and to ensure
quality-of-life on the
trains and in stations,”
he said. “In 1990, there
were nearly 17,500 transit
crimes, compared to 2018,
where there were 2,500
transit crimes, which is
approximately one crime
for every million riders.”
The Transport Workers
Union Local 100 —
which represents over
40,000 MTA workers —
celebrated the announcement
as a major victory
for the livelihood of transportation
civil servants,
according to the organizations
president.
“This is a big victory,”
said Tony Utano.
“We want to go to work
and do our jobs and go
home to our families unharmed.
We are sick and
tired of the abuse. We
are hopeful that these
additional offi cers will
not only deter attacks
against our members
but also result in quick
arrests when crimes do
take place. Our voices
have been heard. This is
a big step forward.”