Subway assaults up – on cops

Straphangers aren’t the only ones being victimized during the recent uptick in violence in the subway system. Felony assaults on cops in the subways are also on the rise, with 15 attacks on police officers in January — up from five over the same month in 2020, NYPD Transit Chief Kathleen O’Reilly said Thursday. O’Reilly, speaking during an MTA board meeting, said that was a big chunk of the total of 43 felony subway assaults last month. The release of the stats come amid growing concern over an increase in transit violence with reports of straphangers punched, shoved or slashed on the rise in recent weeks.

NYPD Commissioner Dermot Shea said last week he would increase police presence by about 500 more officers following a slashing rampage on the A line that left two dead and two wounded.

MTA Chairman Pat Foye said Thursday the NYPD has already deployed 644 more cops to the subway system in recent days, but reiterated his call for a total of 1,500 more officers.

“This is a good first step,” Foye said of the cops deployed so far. “But we’re going to need roughly 900 more police officers to provide the kind of coverage and security that our customers and dedicated employees deserve.

“I’ll note that our request will bring us back to the level of NYPD staffing in the subways that existed in 1995, when the New York City Transit Police merged with the NYPD to form today’s NYPD Transit Bureau,” he said.

Transit officials say overall crime is down in the subways as ridership has plummeted by about 70 percent, but contend violent attacks warrant a stronger police presence.