Search

New York Governor Kathy Hochul has ordered the deployment of 750 National Guard members and 250 state and transit police officers to conduct random bag inspections at subway stations in response to a 15.5% increase in felony assaults on the subway system this year. This action is part of a five-point plan to reduce subway crime, which includes adding cameras to conductors' cabins, establishing mental health worker teams, tracking repeat offenders, and proposing legislation to ban those convicted of violent crimes from the subway system. While some support the increased security measures, others have expressed concerns about possible racial profiling and the effectiveness of deploying troops at subway entrances. Transit crime is not limited to New York City, and the Federal Transit Administration has partnered with the U.S. Department of Transportation Volpe Center to research and prevent assaults on public transit systems. [Extracted from the article]