Every subway train in NYC will have a uniformed police officer on board between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m. daily, Gov. Kathy Hochul said during her State of the State address on Tuesday — adding that other major safety measures are coming to the city’s transit system this year.
Photo by Dean Moses
There has been much talk lately about new security measures for NYC subways, sparked by a recent wave of high-profile, brutal crimes on the trains.
This talk has prompted many elected officials to take action. However, are politicians just trying to look good during a heavy election year? Or are their efforts to protect straphangers valiant and genuine?
Maybe it is a mix.
Subway safety is a top concern in NYC. Opinions on the topic vary greatly, and amNewYork Metro launched a new poll to hear yours–the 8 million people who keep the Big Apple thriving.
New subway safety measures coming in 2025
Politicians and other bigwigs talk about how crime is down in the city, yet, simultaneously, police report about subway stabbings, robbings and other dreadful acts happening underground almost every day.
To combat what NYC Mayor Eric Adams has called the “perception” of crime being up, he and Gov. Kathy Hochul announced a series of security measures that they said will help keep New York straphangers safe.
Some of these upcoming initiatives include putting a uniformed police officer on every overnight train for six months, installing subway platform barriers to prevent accidental falls or criminal shoves, and improving lighting and installing high-tech security cameras.
Most notably, on Dec. 18, Hochul deployed 250 National Guard troops to the already 750 stations throughout the subways system since March 2024.
“The presence of the National Guard not just makes a physical difference but psychological difference in how they feel about safety,” the governor said in December.
And just this Tuesday, the mayor announced a new “Bridge to Home” mental health program aimed to stop subway violence and end homelessness on the trains. The program, which does not yet have a start date, would provide a temporary “supportive, home-like environment” to severely mentally ill patients for up to a year, Adams said.
Do YOU feel safe riding the subways?
Politics aside, amNewYork Metro wants to hear from you.
Our question is simple: Do you feel safe riding the subways and trains in NYC? Take our poll and tell us how you feel.
We’ll report back next week with the results.
Stay on top of the latest transit news at amny.com.