New York Governor Kathy Hochul has announced a plan to send 750 members of the National Guard to assist the New York Police Department in conducting bag searches at entrances to busy train stations in the city's subway system. This decision comes in response to a series of high-profile crimes on city trains, aiming to enhance public safety and deter individuals from carrying weapons onto the subway.
The governor's office is taking a multi-faceted approach to address crime in the subway, including a legislative proposal to ban individuals convicted of assaulting subway passengers from trains for three years. Additionally, cameras will be installed in conductor cabins to protect transit workers.
The deployment of the National Guard will complement the increased presence of NYPD officers in the subway system. In addition to the National Guard, 250 state troopers and police officers from the Metropolitan Transportation Authority will also be involved in the bag searches.
Governor Hochul's decision to bolster public safety measures follows concerns raised by Republicans during the 2022 elections. While crime rates have decreased in New York City since the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, isolated incidents of violence on the subway have caused unease among residents.
Despite the governor's efforts to enhance security, critics have raised concerns about the potential overreach of these measures. The New York Civil Liberties Union has criticized the plan, cautioning against reactionary policies that may not effectively address underlying issues.
Random bag checks have been a longstanding practice at subway entrances in New York City, with passengers having the option to refuse and leave the station. The effectiveness of these searches in a subway system serving over 3 million riders daily has been a subject of debate.
