Governor announces continued investments in transit policing, mental health services, and infrastructure improvements as ridership surges
New York City’s subway system is experiencing historic low crime rates, with Governor Kathy Hochul committing additional resources totaling one hundred fifty-four million dollars to maintain progress through 2026. The year 2025 marked a turning point for transit safety, with overall transit crime declining to its lowest level in approximately sixteen years. The state’s continued commitment to subway safety represents a comprehensive approach combining increased law enforcement presence, mental health intervention, and infrastructure improvements designed to protect both riders and transit workers.
Historic Crime Reductions
The statistics paint a striking picture of improvement across New York’s transit system. Overall major crime in the subway system declined eleven percent year-to-date in 2025 compared to 2024 and sixteen percent compared to pre-pandemic 2019 levels. More dramatically, felony assaults decreased by sixteen percent in 2024 and were down twenty-five percent in November alone. When accounting for increased ridership, there have been approximately 1.65 major crimes per million riders in 2025, representing roughly a thirty percent decline from 2021 and comparable to pre-pandemic safety levels.
The Multi-Pronged Safety Strategy
Governor Hochul’s approach to subway safety combines several complementary strategies. The state has allocated seventy-seven million dollars to partner with the NYPD to deploy approximately three hundred uniformed officers on nearly all one hundred fifty overnight trains, with two officers assigned to each train between nine p.m. and five a.m. This surge deployment provides visible deterrence to potential criminals while offering reassurance to late-night commuters. The state will continue this allocation of seventy-seven million dollars in 2026 for enhanced patrols.
Infrastructure and Surveillance Investments
Beyond police presence, the state has made substantial investments in physical security and visibility improvements. The MTA has installed thirty-two thousand security cameras across the subway system, including over seventeen thousand on all six thousand subway cars and over fifteen thousand in stations. New platform edge barriers have been installed at one hundred fifteen subway stations to prevent accidental falls and reduce push-related injuries. Brighter LED lighting has been installed in over four hundred fifty subway stations, with all four hundred seventy-two stations expected to receive upgrades by the end of 2025.
Mental Health and Homelessness Interventions
Recognizing that many transit safety issues involve individuals experiencing mental health crises and homelessness, the state has funded ten Subway Co-Response Outreach Teams trained to provide a clinician-first response. These SCOUT teams have made over nine hundred referrals and facilitated over seventy-five hundred nights of hospital care for individuals in crisis. The state’s Safe Options Support initiative has transitioned nearly eight hundred fifty individuals experiencing homelessness into permanent housing.
Looking Toward 2026
Governor Hochul’s FY 2026 budget includes continued commitments to transit safety. Modern fare gates will be installed in an additional twenty stations across the system, with exit gates delaying egress at one hundred fifty stations to reduce fare evasion. The state will invest in additional lighting throughout the system and continue funding SCOUT teams and other mental health programs.
Addressing Disorder and Quality of Life
While violent crime is rare in the subway system, representing only 4.2 percent of the city’s total violent crime despite using eight percent of NYPD resources, the subjective sense of safety is also important. Unkempt stations, individuals experiencing mental health crises, erratic behavior, and general disorder all contribute to commuter anxiety. The state’s comprehensive approach addresses both actual crime and the environmental conditions that amplify fear.
The Partnership Model
Transit safety improvements represent partnership between state and city government, the NYPD, MTA officials, and various social service providers. This integrated approach acknowledges that crime prevention cannot rely solely on law enforcement but must also address root causes including mental illness, substance use disorders, and homelessness.
Authority Links and Information
For comprehensive information on subway safety initiatives and statistics, Governor Hochul’s official announcements provide detailed crime data and policy descriptions. The MTA’s official website contains real-time information on service and safety features. For historical context on crime trends and comprehensive analysis, Vital City NYC publishes evidence-based research on transit safety. The New York State official website provides detailed fact sheets on the state’s public safety investments. The convergence of police presence, mental health services, and infrastructure improvements demonstrates how comprehensive strategies can produce measurable results in making public spaces safer and more accessible for all New Yorkers.
