Hundreds of NYPD Officers Deployed to Transit Hubs for Overnight Anti-Crime Initiative

As part of the recently launched overnight anti-crime initiative on the rails, hundreds of NYPD officers are being moved from their commands to transit hubs across New York City, according to NYPD documents.

The orders were issued department-wide on Friday, detailing the deployment of approximately 700 officers underground. These officers are being relocated from precincts and other assignments throughout the city.

Among the deployed officers are recent police academy graduates, as well as personnel from units like the Chaplains Unit and headquarters security at One Police Plaza in Manhattan. Some officers are also being reassigned from the court section, where they provide security at courthouses in Manhattan, Brooklyn, the Bronx, and Queens.

However, the transfers have raised concerns among court officers who believe they are already understaffed. According to a police source, the courts are facing staffing shortages, leading to delays in arraignments and inadequate security presence.

The overnight subway surge, which began on January 20, was prompted by a series of high-profile crimes underground. Incidents included a man being pushed onto the tracks in front of a train in Manhattan and surviving, as well as a woman being fatally set ablaze on a Brooklyn subway car.

While overall crime in the city’s transit system has decreased by 36% compared to the previous year, misdemeanor assaults have seen a 56% increase, with 106 reported so far this year compared to 68 at the same point last year, according to NYPD data.