New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch announced a three-part transit plan during her State of the NYPD Address on Thursday, Jan. 30. The plan aims to make subway riders feel safer.
Tisch shared that overall index crime was down in 2024. It includes a 3.6% decrease in murders, a 2.3% drop in robberies and a 5.7% decline in burglaries. NYPD statistics also showed a 17% reduction in crime in January 2025.
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Part one of the commissioner’s plan is already in action: the redeployment of 200 officers to subway trains and platforms.
“Two months ago, I re-examined our existing transit deployment and found entirely too many cops were posted at subway entrances, mezzanines, and turnstiles, and not enough were on the trains and the platforms where 78% of transit crime actually occurs,” Tisch said.
Despite the decline in crime statistics, Tisch acknowledged that many New Yorkers do not feel safe. She said having more officers on subway trains will allow them to address issues as they arise.
“The idea behind this initiative, frankly, is to not only make our riders safer but also to make them feel safer,” Tisch said.
Part two focuses on expanding mental health training and matching services with enforcement when necessary to address the need for care during mental health crises.
“Our subway trains and platforms are not homeless shelters. They are not psychiatric hospitals. And as a city, we have a moral duty to provide services to people who need them,” Tisch said.
Part three of the plan calls for creating a Quality-of-Life Division within the police department. It aims to address low-level quality-of-life crimes such as public urination, aggressive panhandling, unruly street vending and abandonment of vehicles.
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“These smaller crimes make people in the community feel unsafe and can lead to bigger issues and crimes,” Tisch said.
Tisch noted that the logistics of each phase are still being finalized, and the initiatives will continue to roll out and be refined over the coming months.
NEW YORK CITY POLICE COMMISSIONER JESSICA TISCH ANNOUNCED A 3-PART TRANSIT PLAN FOR THE SUBWAY TO MAKE PEOPLE FEEL SAFE IN HER STATE OF THE NYPD ADDRESS THURSDAY.
TISCH SHARED THAT OVERALL INDEX CRIME WAS DOWN IN 2024 INCLUDING MURDER BY 3.6%, ROBBERY BY 2.3% AND BURGLARY BY 5.7%.
NYPD STATS ALSO SHOW CRIME WAS DOWN 17% IN JANUARY 2025.
PART ONE of THE COMMISSIONER’S plan IS ALREADY IN ACTION THAT’S THE REDEPLOYMENT OF 200 OFFICERS TO SUBWAY TRAINS AND PLATFORMS.
“TWO MONTHS AGO, I RE-EXAMINED OUT EXISTING TRANSIT DEPLOYMENT AND FOUND ENTIRELY TOO MANY COPS WERE POSTED AT SUBWAY ENTRANCES, MEZZANINES AND TURNSTILES AND NOT ENOUGH WERE ON THE TRAINS AND THE PLATFORMS WHERE 78% OF TRANSIT CRIME ACTUALLY OCCURS,” COMMISSIONER TISCH SAID.
TISCH SAYS EVEN THOUGH CRIME STATS ARE DOWN IN NEW YORK CITY – PEOPLE DON’T FEEL SAFE. SHE SAYS HAVING MORE OFFICERS ON SUBWAY TRAINS WILL ALLOW OFFICERS WILL CORRECT CONDITIONS AS THEY ARISE.
“THE IDEA BEHIND THIS INITIATIVE FRANKLY IS TO NOT ONLY MAKE OUR RIDERS SAFER BUT ALSO TO MAKE THEM FEEL SAFER,” COMMISSIONER TISCH SAID.
PART 2 FOCUSES ON EXPANDING MENTAL HEALTH TRAINING AND MATCHING SERVICES WITH ENFORCEMENT WHEN NECESSARY, ADDRESSING THE NEED FOR CARE IN MENTAL HEALTH CRISES.
“OUR SUBWAY TRAINS AND PLATFORMS ARE NOT HOMELESS SHELTERS. THEY ARE NOT PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITALS. AND AS A CITY WE HAVE A MORAL DUTY TO PROVIDE SERVICES TO PEOPLE WHO NEED THEM,” COMMISSIONER TISCH SAID.
AND PART THREE OF HER PLAN, COMMISSIONER TISCH PLEDGES TO CREATE A QUALITY-OF-LIFE DIVISION WITHIN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT THAT WILL HANDLE LOW-LEVEL QUALITY-OF-LIFE CRIMES SUCH AS PUBLIC URINATION, AGGRESSIVE PANHANDLING, UNRULY STREET VENDING, AND ABANDONMENT OF VEHICLES.
SHE ARGUES THAT THESE SMALLER CRIMES MAKE PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY FEEL UNSAFE AND CAN LEAD TO BIGGER ISSUES AND CRIMES.
TISCH SAYS THE LOGISTICS OF PLANS ARE STILL BEING FINALIZED AND THEY WILL CONTINUE ROLLING OUT THE INITIATIVES AND TWEAKING THEM IN THE COMING MONTHS.
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