Beginning on Wednesday, residents of The Big Apple will be welcomed to the New York City subway by heavily armed National Guardsmen and other state law enforcement after Gov. Kathy Hochul (D-NY) took extreme action to control crime in the city.
The New York governor ordered 750 National Guardsmen and 250 other state personnel to the subway system to maintain safety and initiate randomized searches of passengers and their bags. The deployment of the Guard is one part of a five-point plan to bring safety back to the subway system after rampant crime, muggings, and assaults plagued New Yorkers simply trying to get to work or home.
In a press briefing with Metropolitan Transportation Authority Chairman Janno Lieber, Hochul explained that no resident of America's largest city should endure a dangerous public transport system. "No one heading to their job or to visit family or to go to a doctor's appointment should worry that the person sitting next to them possesses a deadly weapon," she said. "They shouldn't worry about whether someone's going to brandish a knife or a gun."
"I am sending a message to all New Yorkers — I will not stop working to keep you safe and restore your peace of mind whenever you walk through those turnstiles," she added. Another major initiative pursued by the governor is the placement of cameras in conductor cabins, which was deemed necessary after an assailant slashed conductor Alton Scott last week. Hochul has also proposed a ban from the subway system of anyone who assaults another passenger for three years, and she has instructed the NYPD and transit officials to meet weekly to discuss safety.
"One percent of subway arrestees, according to the NYPD, are responsible for well over 20% of the crime," MTA Chairman Lieber said, per New York Daily News. "We need to have a collaboration with the [district attorneys] so they have that full information."
During an interview with Fox 5 on Thursday morning, Hochul explained that passengers who did not want their belongings searched would be refused entry to the subway. "Then go home," she said when asked if New Yorkers didn't want their bag searched. "We're not going to search you. You can say no, but you're not taking the subway."
It seems that New York, like some other progressive cities, has begun to wake up to reality. Crime has drastically increased across the five boroughs in recent years, and Hochul's decision to take action is likely a welcome sight for many New Yorkers. However, one would hope that randomized bag searches will only be temporary and that the criminals caught will be swiftly dealt justice.
What happens if New Yorkers do not want their bags checked by the National Guard?
— Citizen Free Press (@CitizenFreePres) March 7, 2024
Kathy Hochul: “Then go home! You’re not taking the subway.” pic.twitter.com/943rWR8SYg
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