Page 14 - The Indian EYE 031023

COMMUNITY OP-ED MARCH 10, 2023 | The Indian Eye 14

On track to a safer

New York City subway

NYC Subway now has more police officers available to assist riders. Overall station inspections are up 43%
in 2023 so far, compared to the same period in 2022

ERIC ADAMS
I
started my career as a transit po-
lice officer, so I know firsthand
that subway safety is public safety.
Our transit system is the key to getting
to work, to school, visiting family and
friends, and experiencing all that New
York City has to offer. It makes life in
our city possible. And everyone who
uses this essential resource — regard-
less of their ethnicity, age, or gender
— has the right to feel safe doing it.
One year ago, Governor Kathy The New York City subway is the symbol of the greatest city on earth. It creates economic opportunities,
Hochul and I announced a Subway
Safety plan, where we promised to improves traffic congestion, and makes the air better for everyone
devote more resources to helping
those experiencing homelessness increasing the police presence across to bike to work in Brooklyn because year. And with more people on the
and facing mental health crisis get the system. of concerns about anti-Asian hate or train looking out for each other, our
the shelter and the care they need. We now have more police offi- the bartender who opted to split a system is feeling safer every day.
We announced our plan to disburse cers available to assist riders. Over- cab with her co-workers because she I take the subway and I talk to
more homeless outreach teams in all station inspections are up 43% in didn’t feel safe on the system late at riders, transit officers, and MTA em-
our subways and train NYPD offi- 2023 so far, compared to the same night. ployees. They tell me that the feeling
cers to enforce the system’s rules of period in 2022. And we have stopped It’s clear that our approach to of normalcy is returning, and they
conduct in a fair and transparent way, the cruel practice of just walking by making a safer subway system for encourage me to push forward. I
addressing the fare evasion and dis- people in need. Since announcing these riders is working. As a result hear them: we must continue to re-
order that contributes to an unsafe the first phase of our plan last Febru- of our efforts, major crime in transit main vigilant and keep building a saf-
environment. And we committed to ary, we have removed the homeless stations is down 18% since the begin- er system for all.
improving collaboration between the encampments from our system and ning of 2023 through February 26th, The New York City subway is the
state and city to effectively address successfully connected more than compared with the same period in symbol of the greatest city on earth.
safety concerns. 4,000 people facing homelessness 2022. We are seeing the most riders It creates economic opportunities
And this past fall, Governor Ho- with shelter and the assistance they on the system since the pandemic, and access, improves traffic conges-
chul and I took another bold step, deserve. and they are reporting an increased tion, and makes the air better for ev-
announcing a historic surge of police During the pandemic, subway sense of security. In December, sub- eryone. Together, we will keep it safe
officers to patrol subway platforms ridership declined, and crime grew. way ridership topped 3.9 million peo- and ensure that New York City re-
and trains. We added roughly 1,200 Many riders, particularly women and ple in one day, the highest number mains the safest big city in the nation.
additional overtime officer shifts people of color, sought alternative since the pre-pandemic period. Over Eric Adams is
each day on the subway, dramatically options, like the nanny who decided 1 billion riders used the system last the Mayor of New York City, NY

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