You are reading

MTA Calls on De Blasio to Add 1,000 Additional Police Officers to Patrol Subways

Far Rockaway–Mott Avenue station (CC 2.0 By Train2104)

Feb. 15, 2021 By Allie Griffin

MTA officials are calling on Mayor Bill de Blasio to deploy 1,000 additional police officers to keep watch over the subway system following a string of stabbings over the weekend.

MTA Chairman and CEO Patrick Foye and NYC Transit Interim President Sarah Feinberg penned a letter to de Blasio on Sunday requesting that he add 1,000 officers on top of the 500 the NYPD announced Saturday that it was adding.

The pair complimented NYPD Commissioner Dermot Shea and De Blasio for adding the 500 cops but said it was not enough.

“We believe the additional 500 officers you agreed to dedicate to the subway system is an important first step,” they wrote in the letter. “We believe more is needed, however, and so we are writing today to request an additional 1,000 NYPD officers be assigned to the Transit Bureau to patrol subways and buses immediately.”

The letter comes just one day after a mentally ill, homeless man randomly stabbed four people — two fatally — along the A line during a bloody 15-hour spree between Friday and early Saturday.

One of the victims, a 57-year-old homeless man, was found stabbed to death onboard an A train at the Mott Avenue station in Far Rockaway. All of the victims are believed to be homeless.

A 21-year-old man, Rigoberto Lopez, was arrested Saturday for the crimes.

Foye and Feinberg praised the NYPD for quickly apprehending Lopez, but asked for more officers to patrol the subway system.

“We request teams of uniformed officers be assigned to every station and that officers ride the system throughout the day and during the overnight to ensure the safety of our customers and colleagues,” they wrote.

They also pointed to a rise in certain crimes, like felony assaults, rape and murder, onboard subway trains and at stations despite a drastic dip in ridership.

“The fact is that we all see a disturbing trend above ground and below ground, which as you know began prior to the pandemic, and now has been exacerbated by the acute mental health crisis we are facing.”

email the author: news@queenspost.com
No comments yet

Leave a Comment
Reply to this Comment

All comments are subject to moderation before being posted.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Recent News

Superstorm Sandy-damaged home in Neponsit will finally be demolished after city finds it structurally unstable

Nearly 13 years after Superstorm Sandy crashed into the Rockaways, damaging or destroying nearly 1,000 homes and businesses along the 11-mile peninsula, a Neponsit house will be demolished by the city.

Council Member Joann Ariola has been working with the city’s Department of Buildings (DOB) and the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) to deal with the blighted property at 148-16 Rockaway Beach Blvd. and received an important update on the project late last month.

Pheffer Amato reminds constituent families of free meals, distraction-free learning policies for new school year

As students head back to school, Assemblymember Stacey Pheffer Amato is reminding families in her district of two major changes: every child will be eligible for free school meals, and mobile phones and smart devices will no longer be allowed during the school day.

The implementation of universal free meals for all schools, including nonpublic and charter schools, has been a focus for Pheffer Amato for years. During the 2025 New York State budget, she worked on the issue to ensure the state would give every school district, including New York City, the resources to make universal free meals a reality. Now, free breakfast and lunch will be provided to all school-aged children at all schools participating in the national school lunch and breakfast program, guaranteeing that every child will be eligible for health and nutritious meals.

Queens Together launches ‘Unofficial US Open Dining Guide’ encouraging fans to sample restaurants along the 7 line

Aug. 20, 2025 By Shane O’Brien

The US Open returns to Flushing Meadows Corona Park this Sunday, with more than 1 million attendees anticipated to take mass transit to the iconic annual tennis event. With hundreds of thousands of fans set to take the 7 out to the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, there is a world of delicious local eateries lying beneath the elevated train tracks should any fan wish to stop en-route to the US Open.

Can Queens’ food scene thrive with both trucks and restaurants?

Aug. 19, 2025 By Jessica Militello

In Jackson Heights at 4 p.m. on a Thursday afternoon, Roosevelt Avenue is buzzing with energy as commuters file in and out of subway cars and onto the street and cars and trucks grapple to get down the busy road. The street is filled with rows of shops and restaurants, along with food carts, street vendors and food trucks along the avenue. The almost-but-not-quite the weekend lag leaves hungry commuters faced with another choice to make throughout their day and the array of food truck options in busy areas like Jackson Heights offers customers convenience and delicious food without breaking the bank, two features that can feel vital, particularly with rising costs of living and pressure from inflation.