Subway surge of overnight NYPD cops will be extended, Hochul says — as transit crime hits record lows

It’s an overnight success.

Gov. Kathy Hochul acted like she reinvented the wheel Wednesday as she basked in new crime data hinting that her surge of overnight NYPD cops on trains made the subways dramatically — and historically — safer.

The triumphant governor proudly announced she’ll extend the nightly surge, doubling down on the patrols that began in January.

“It was supposed to be temporary, but I know New Yorkers tell me they feel safer when they see officers on board, so we’re going to continue doing that for the months to come,” she said at an event highlighting a dramatic drop in transit crime.

But many details on the extension remained scant, including how many cops will be deployed and for how long. 

Asked for more specifics, a governor’s office spokesperson didn’t cough them up and only offered vague generalities.

“The expanded police presence in the subway system is ongoing and the deployment of officers will continue to evolve based on crime data and trends,” the spokesperson said.

NYPD officials didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment.

“We will take a look at what’s working and what isn’t and re-evaluate as needed,” said Kayla Mamelak, spokeswoman for Mayor Eric Adams.

Hochul’s original surge announcement in January — made during her “State of the State” speech — caught many in the NYPD by surprise, as it offered few details over how the stretched-thin NYPD would staff the effort, or even when it’d begin. But with cooperation from City Hall and state funds the plan went through.

The governor eventually revealed that it’d cost $154 million — with the city and state splitting the bill — to cover the overtime required to put two cops on all 150 overnight subway trains.

But Hochul had to scramble to come up with the state’s $77 million share, which was eventually approved by Albany lawmakers in New York’s budget.

The surge’s extension will be funded, at least in part, by $77 million the state already set aside for the surge, Hochul said.

Hochul acknowledged in July that the funds hadn’t been completely drawn down yet, and it’s unclear how much cash the state has left to fund the cops.

Regardless of the surge’s messy rollout, it does appear to have helped reduce crime on the subways.

The governor and MTA honcho Janno Lieber took a victory lap on NYPD data showing this July and August were the safest for those months in the transit system’s history. 

Felony assaults are down 21% this year compared to the same point in 2024, transit crime data shows. 

And major crimes in the transit system have fallen nearly 16% compared to pre-pandemic 2019, according to data.

“Mission accomplished, (is) not coming out of my lips, because I want to stand here next summer and tell you that we can beat this year’s record,” Hochul said.