NYPD starting first wave of overnight subway patrols as part of Hochul safety plan

The NYPD is set to deploy dozens of additional officers throughout the MTA overnight starting Monday night as part of the governor's latest plan to address safety.

Gov. Kathy Hochul announced the phased approach subway safety last week during her State of the State address. In it, she said the police department would put two cops on every overnight train.

"I want to see uniformed police on the platforms, but more importantly, we will put an officer on every single train, overnight – 9 p.m. to 5 a.m – over the next six months and the state will support these efforts financially," Hochul said on Tuesday.

There are 472 subway stations, 25 routes and 665 miles of track across the city, presenting a so-called daunting task for the department. A law enforcement source with direct knowledge of the rollout told NBC New York the first round of cops would be deployed Monday around 9:30 p.m.

More than 70 NYPD personnel would be on the trains starting Monday night, the source said. The plan is to deploy additional officers soon to have all overnight trains covered, with a goal of ramping up to around 300 officers and ensuring cops on all 150 overnight trains.

It was not clear on when the NYPD planned on having all overnight trains staffed with officers. The governor said there was money available to pay overtime.

Hochul made the announcement while highlighting the state's effort to "reduce crime and the fear of crime," including the deployment of 1,250 state personnel from State Police and National Guard.

"We are thrilled that the Governor and the mayor have come to an agreement that actually puts cops on trains overnight," said MTA Chairman Janno Lieber. "Between 30% and 40% of the crime happens in those late night hours, so having cops on trains is a great improvement."

In Dec, the governor and MTA officials said that a plan to combat subway safety had resulted in a 10 percent decrease in a period of seven months. Since January 2021, crime was down 42 percent.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams, who was mentioned by name multiple times during the speech, celebrated the subway-focused initiatives promoted by the governor.

"We also appreciate the governor’s willingness to commit state resources to putting more officers in our transit system. When I ride our trains and speak to everyday New Yorkers, they repeatedly tell me how they want to see more officers on our subways and more help for those suffering from severe mental illness," Adams said in a written statement. "The governor is right to prioritize these investments because public safety is the prerequisite to prosperity."

Hochul, who recently supported an expansion of the state’s involuntary commitment laws to allow hospitals to compel more mentally ill people into treatment, double-down on the need to pass new legislation expanding the law.

Currently, state law allows police to force people to be taken to the hospital if they appear to be mentally ill and their behavior poses a risk of physical harm to themselves or others. While the governor has not released additional details about the legislation changes, she had said it "will expand that definition to ensure more people receive the care they need."

"Now critics will say this criminalizes poverty or homelessness. I say that is flat out wrong," Hochul said during Tuesday's address about the opposition to her push for tougher laws. "This is about having the humanity and the compassion to help people incapable of helping themselves."

In addition to police on platforms and subway cars, the governor directed the MTA to install "more barriers" in 100 stations and bright LED lighting in every station by the end of 2025.

Lieber also welcomed the governor's affordability agenda and her support for the Capital Plan, which includes extending the Second Avenue subway in East Harlem.

"We also need to ensure that the subways, buses and commuter railroads are safe and feel safe," Lieber said "So we welcome the Governor’s commitment of additional resources for transit safety, including more police deployments, installation of platform edge barriers, and new fare gates”

The announcement of new safety measures for the subway also coincides with the start of the second week of congestion pricing, the controversial plan to charge drivers traveling into Manhattan $9 during peak hours and what it is expected to be a difficult reelection campaign.