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Subway assaults drop
The MTA held its first in-person board meeting since the beginning of the pandemic Wednesday to discuss crime in the subway and some new data showing that those numbers are beginning to drop.
NEW YORK - The subway appears to be getting safer. New numbers show felony assaults, sex crimes, robberies, and grand larcenies are down and ridership is up.
The MTA held its first in-person board meeting since the beginning of the pandemic Wednesday to discuss crime in the subway and the apparent drop in violent crimes.
In the first five months of this year, 223 felony assaults were reported in the subways, according to the New York Post. It’s the highest figure since 1997, which is the earliest year of available numbers.
For example, a slice of NYPD data from the Post shows before additional cops were added to the subway, 36 assaults were reported between May 3 and May 16.
125 cops were added and numbers started to drop.
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Times Square subway stabbing
A man was standing on a subway platform at 42nd Street and 7th Avenue when he was randomly slashed in the head.
Then, between May 17 and May 30, 25 assaults were recorded. Then 14 between June 7 and June 20.
According to MTA Chief Safety Officer Patrick Warren, another 135 officers will be added next month to continue to help deter crime in the subway.
As assault numbers are going down, ridership is up. On Friday of last week, more than 2.5 million people took the subway. That’s almost half of the 5.5 million the subways averaged pre-pandemic in February 2020.
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Subway ridership sets new record
Ridership on the New York City subway hit a pandemic high for the second day in a row.
And that’s not all.
The MTA is also reporting Friday a record level of commuters on city buses, Metro-North, and the LIRR.
Officials also announced that masks and face coverings will no longer be required on outside subway stations and platforms, however, they must be worn at stations and platforms that are underground while riding subways and buses.