Governor Kathy Hochul and Mayor Eric Adams released statistics indicating an overall 16% drop in subway crime since late October.
A change that some users like Simón Ayala, they say, have noticed.
“You see a lot of the police force actually. I think it has improved,” Ayala said.
During the press conference at the Fulton transit center in lower Manhattan, Hochul also noted a 28% decrease in serious crimes.
Calling it a “good day” for New Yorkers, the governor noted that data shows that crime on the subway has dropped to pre-pandemic levels.
Hochul indicated that in 2019, 1.5 crimes were registered for every million users. A number that shot up to 2.8 in 2020. But during the first weeks of January it dropped to 1.7 crimes per million passengers.
The governor cited a customer satisfaction survey that the MTA conducted with 3,000 users.
The study concludes that the number of those who say they feel safe on the subway increased by 18 percent in October, from 40 to almost 60 percent in one month.
It was in that month of October when the “police, cameras and care” initiative was announced, which increased police presence in the system, the installation of security cameras and mental health services.
“You don’t see as many ‘homeless’ people on trains lately as you saw more in the pandemic era. Well, now post-pandemic it looks a little less,” said Oswaldo Gallardo.
Other passengers, on the other hand, say that they have not noticed much of the change and that they still do not feel safe.
“People who are not coherent, no, they have told me everything and they have wanted to push me. They wanted to attack me at the station,” said Jaime Cabrera.
“It was good that it improves, other times it continues the same,” said another passenger.
According to state government data, passenger numbers exceeded 1 billion in 2022 for the first time since 2019.
“3.9 million subway users tell us that they feel safer every day.
“I’m proud to hear we’re moving in the right direction, and we won’t slow down.
“Thank you @GovKathyHochul for helping keep New Yorkers safe,” Mayor Adams said in a social media post.
3.9 million subway riders are telling us they feel safer every day.
I am proud to hear we’re moving in the right direction — and we will not be slowing down.
Thank you @GovKathyHochul for your partnership in keeping New Yorkers safe. pic.twitter.com/vljFjPkzJX
— Mayor Eric Adams (@NYCMayor) January 27, 2023
Both Hochul and Adams indicated that although progress is important, they will continue to work to improve the safety of subway users.
