New York City officials have announced plans to increase efforts to combat subway fare evasion by deploying at least 800 police officers to monitor turnstiles. This decision comes in response to recent concerns about safety and disorderliness in the city's busiest subway system.
The announcement follows a tragic incident in East Harlem where an individual was pushed onto the tracks as a train approached, resulting in a fatal collision. The New York Police Department swiftly took a 45-year-old man into custody, stating that the incident was unprovoked.
The NYPD revealed that they intend to deploy a significant number of uniformed and plainclothes officers to deter fare evasion, emphasizing that maintaining law and order begins at the turnstiles. The deployment strategy will be based on crime rates, ridership data, and community feedback.
Statistics indicate that efforts to curb fare evasion are already in progress, with over 1,700 individuals arrested for turnstile-jumping this year, a notable increase from the same period in 2023. Additionally, more than 28,000 fare evasion tickets have been issued thus far in 2024.
Fare evasion has long been a concern for city officials, as it results in significant financial losses for the transit system annually. However, the enforcement of turnstile violations has faced criticism for disproportionately affecting Black and Hispanic individuals in past years.
Recent discussions by law enforcement and Mayor Eric Adams have highlighted potential connections between fare evasion and subway-related violence. In response to safety fears, Adams introduced a plan in 2022 to increase police presence, mental health support, and social services in the subway system.
While overall crime in the transit system has decreased slightly from 2022 to 2023, recent incidents of violence have raised alarm. To address these concerns, the NYPD announced heightened underground patrols, and Governor Kathy Hochul announced the deployment of National Guard troops for random bag checks in the subway system.
