New York Gov. Kathy Hochul has banned the use of long guns by National Guards soldiers she sent to check bags at New York City’s subways.
Hochul issued the ban on rifles “immediately after” 750 troops were deployed to the subway system, a spokesperson told The New York Post Sunday.
After the deployment began last week, riders entering the subway were greeted by camouflaged and gun-toting soldiers at bag-search checkpoints in a sight reminiscent of the city after the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
The move led to complaints that state leaders were militarizing the subway system, and NYPD Chief of Patrol John Chell accused Hochul of treating the subways like a “war zone.”
Under Hochul’s new directive, some Guard soldiers will still be armed with long guns at certain postings throughout the subway, but will not carry them at the actual bag checkpoints.
Subway crime rose nearly 20% in the first two months of 2024, as compared to this time last year. The period saw substantial increases in grand larcenies (22% increase), felony assaults (17%) and robberies (12%), according to newly released NYPD statistics.
Hochul’s deployment of the National Guard is part of a larger five-point plan to make the subways safer, which includes:
- Influx of 1,000 National Guard soldiers, state and MTA police.
- Law to allow judges to ban transit assault perps from trains, buses.
- Installation of CCTV cameras in all train cars, conductor cabins.
- Better coordination between NYPD and district attorneys to thwart recidivists.
- $20 million to expand Subway Co-Response Outreach mental health teams.
