Extra NYPD Officers to Combat Spike in Subway Crime

The NYPD is attacking a spike in subway crime with extra weekend patrols by police officers drawn from above-ground precincts and the housing bureau, police said.

Cops are rolling out their operation “Total Impact” and other initiatives to counter a 17.1 percent increase in major felonies.

The crime surge is partly the result of the popularity of electronic devices among riders and criminals, notably the iPad, and reading devices like the Kindle, Assistant Chief Owen Monaghan said at an MTA committee meeting.

Still, crime is a fraction of what it was with less than seven felonies a day, compared to more than 50 a day in 1990, Monaghan said.

“This spike concerns us but we do have to put it into perspective,” Monaghan said.

Crime statistics show that most of the crime – 62 percent- is taking place on trains while 17 percent is happening on platforms, Monaghan said.

Nearly half of all crime – 46 percent – is occurring on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, he said.

Monaghan wouldn’t specify how many extra officer are deployed in the subways on weekends under “Total Impact,” but said it was a significant boost.

In Brooklyn, the “Force Field” initiative has officers on specific trains and platforms in response to the latest trends, Monaghan said.

Police also continue to have undercover officers serving as decoys to catch pickpockets and robbers, Monaghan said. Officers also continue to target farebeaters and riders who walk through trains on the theory some are responsible for more serious offenses.

Community Affairs officers are handing out tens of thousands of fliers urging riders to take precautions.

Through August, there were 497 robberies, up 28 or 6 percent. There were 1,000 grand larcenies, classified as theft without force or a weapon used. That’s 213 or 27 percent more than the same time period last year.