New York City is spiraling out of control under Democrat leadership, as crime is spiking, drug use and homelessness are out of control, and the record influx of migrants has stretched residents and city resources to the breaking point. Much of this is due to the sanctuary status of the city, which Mayor Eric Adams is reportedly beginning to reconsider.
Regarding crime, it certainly doesn’t help that some funding for the NYPD has been diverted to house, feed, and give debit cards to undocumented migrants, leaving many parts of the city underserved and unprotected. The New York subway system has been of particular concern, and a series of recent, high-profile crimes has forced New York Governor Kathy Hochul to take action finally.
The Governor’s office announced Wednesday that it is deploying 750 New York National Guard members and 250 state police and transit officers to the crime-infested sprawling subway system. Many New Yorkers count on the subway to go to work, see family and friends, and visit other parts of the city. Currently, it simply isn’t safe to ride the subway.
Hochul characterized the deployment as a way to “rid our subways of people who commit crimes and [to] protect all New Yorkers whether you’re a commuter or a transit worker.” While the troops reportedly won’t be actively riding trains or patrolling platforms, they will be checking bags at some of the busiest stations.
Hochul added: “No one heading to their job or to visit family or go to a doctor appointment should worry that the person sitting next to them possesses a deadly weapon. Let me be very, very clear. These brazen, heinous attacks on our subway system will not be tolerated.” Unfortunately, these criminals have been tolerated in the subway system for far too long. Instead of locking up offenders and keeping them in jail, New York City turns far too many crooks back out onto the streets and into the subway.
MTA CEO Janno Lieber noted that a small number of people are committing the majority of underground crimes. He said: “Thirty-eight people were arrested and accused of crimes against transit employees last year, and they had more than 600 prior arrests.” He noted that 1% of subway suspects committed more than 20% of the crime. This is a direct result of New York’s unwillingness to punish career criminals.
Hochul has proposed legislation to ban subway criminals for up to three years from riding the trains. She said. “So basically, if you assault someone on the subways, you won’t be on the subways. And a judge will now have the power to make sure that for at least three years they’ll have the ability to keep you off the subways.” While this may be a step in the right direction, actually locking up violent subway criminals would seem to be the best deterrent as opposed to forcing career crooks to the surface to do their dirty deeds.
The city has also indicated they will install more cameras, but it remains to be seen if checking bags and adding surveillance will move the needle. What would move the needle is incarceration for subway crimes. If prospective crooks knew they would be facing Rikers Island for their crimes, perhaps New Yorkers could feel safe on the trains again. Until then, expect the city to continue putting ban-aids on a knife wound.
Featured image screen grab from embedded video
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