To the Editor: 

Re: “New York’s Subways Need Better Service, Not More Police”

Your paper argues the currently fashionable theory ‘police are bad, and crime is not a problem in the subways.’ We disagree.

 

The MTA has a responsibility to provide reliable service in a safe and secure environment across our entire system. Customers and taxpayers will fund the largest Capital Plan in history at $51.5 billion. Subway service is inarguably improving with on-time performance at its highest level in six years, major reductions in delays and ridership increasing, defying national trends.  

 

Opinionated observers can manipulate statistics in different ways. But it’s clear that robbery has increased 11.5 percent, hate crimes are up 50 percent, and aggravated harassment is up 167 percent. Is that not a problem? In addition, assaults on transit workers have increased dramatically on subways and buses. 

Any reader will tell you that there are weekly, if not daily stories of frightening subway crimes and encounters. We all know eventually perception of an unsafe system becomes reality. 

 

I regularly speak with customers and it’s clear they are concerned about safety in the subways and I would wager an overwhelming majority of our customers support additional police. 

 

We agree there have been viral videos showing disturbing police interactions, but the relationship between the police and the community is a separate and important issue that must be addressed. The answer is not an anti-police mentality. Knee jerk positions are often just that. There have also been viral videos of riders being viciously assaulted on the subways. Why do you not find those situations disturbing? 

 

We need more opinion makers getting out of their Ubers and taking the subway to have a realistic perspective. We all remember the bad old days in the 80s. We cannot go back. The safety of our riders and employees must be a top priority.

 

Pat Foye 

MTA Chairman and CEO