New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced Wednesday that hundreds of National Guard members have been deployed to patrol New York City subway system this holiday season.
He said this at a press conference on Tuesday. Hochul confirmed that 750 members of the National Guard and 250 members of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) Police Department were recently sent to guard New York City’s train stations.
“It’s clear to me, as I’ve heard from many people, that the presence of the National Guard has made not only a physical difference, but a psychological difference in how they think about security,” Hochul said. “When people see someone in uniform… even our National Guard, it makes them feel safer.”
Hochul previously revealed her five-pointer metro safety plan in March, when they had 750 members of the National Guard to assist the New York Police Department (NYPD) in bag searches at the entrances of busy train stations.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul on Wednesday announced the deployment of hundreds of National Guard members to patrol the New York City subway system. (Getty Images)
“When I saw a spike (in crime)… I knew we had to stabilize quickly and make sure we didn’t go in the wrong direction again,” Hochul said. “Many people thought it wouldn’t make a difference, and I am incredibly proud of these individuals in uniform here with me today.”
Hochul also praised a decrease in crime in the metro during Wednesday’s press conference. In March, the Democrat predicted that her plans would have a “deterrent effect.”
“For people who are thinking about taking a gun or knife on the subway, this will at least have a deterrent effect,” Hochul said at the time. “They might think, ‘You know what, it might just not be worth it because I listened to the mayor and I listened to the governor, and there are a lot more people who are going to check my bags.'”
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Members of the NYPD and National Guard conduct randomized bag searches of the New York City subway system in March. (Matthew McDermott for Fox News Digital)
The decision comes as New York City officials continue to combat violent crime in the Big Apple. Earlier in December, an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) report found that in New York City alone, 58,000 illegal immigrants have been convicted of or are facing criminal prosecution.
Of the 58,626 criminal migrants, 1,153 are “suspected or known gang members,” the report said.
Hochul previously faced criticism for the move to add National Guard members to the subway. On an episode of “Outnumbered,” Fox News co-host Emily Compagno called the move “too little, too late.”
A pair of heavily armed New York National Guard soldiers patrol New York City’s Grand Central Terminal. Gov. Kathy Hochul is sending the National Guard to the New York City subway system to help police search passengers’ bags for weapons. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)
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“I remember on her first day on the job, she sent a letter to (Manhattan) District Attorney Alvin Bragg… when she said, ‘basically send it in or work it out, and then nothing,’” the “Outnumbered” co-host argued. “So if safety was really a priority for her, why can’t we rewind or can’t we rewind to have her implement and enforce those policies from back then? Why didn’t she remove him from office? And now we have. ” to put National Guardsmen in their place.”
Bradford Betz and Michael Lee of Fox News Digital contributed to this report.
