Crime statistics for 2018 were the lowest in the 20-year history of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) Police Department, besting the all-time low figures reported in 2017.
The MTA Police Department patrols the Long Island Rail Road, Metro-North Railroad and the Staten Island Railway.
In 2018, overall crime is down more than 13% from the benchmark achieved in 2017, dropping from a total of 271 crimes systemwide to 237.
Robbery, a bell weather for violent crime, was down 41% in 2018; 26 robberies were reported in 2018, compared to 44 in 2017, down more than 50% from 68 robberies reported in 2001.
(Learn About the Plan to Modernize New York City Transit. Courtesy of the MTA and YouTube. Posted on May 24, 2018.)
Along with record lows in violent crime, the MTA Police Department achieved the following system wide reduction in crimes in 2018 as compared to 2017:
- 22% reduction in petty larcenies
- 6% reduction in hate crimes,
- 27% increase in arrests
- 23% increase in summons being issued, and a
- 12% increase in the number of unattended packages cleared
Customers can have even greater confidence that their property will remain safe when on board trains and when left at MTA parking lots.
Despite the proliferation of customers with electronic devises, grand larceny is down 9% from 2017, from 160 incidents in 2017 to a low of 146 incidents in 2018.
In 2018, across the entire MTA region, three cars were stolen from parking lots, a 70% decrease from 2017.
MTA-patrolled areas in Grand Central Terminal and Penn Station have never been safer.
Crime is down 21% in Grand Central, with 53 reported incidents, compared to 65 in 2017.
Grand Larceny fell 25%, from 44 incidents in 2017 to 33 in 2018. Penn Station didn’t have a single robbery in 2018, and major felonies at Penn fell 26%, from 23 in 2017 to 17 in 2018.
“I commend the men and women of the MTA PD for all they do to keep customers and the public safe,” said Owen Monaghan, MTA Chief of Police.
“The dramatic drop in crime across the MTA’s territory is a testament to the skill, dedication and professionalism of our officers at the MTA.”
“This record breaking drop in crime is not an end point for the MTA PD; it only reinforces our resolve to do more to combat crime and protect our region.”
The MTA Police Department attributes the twenty-year crime low to an important shift in its policing practices.
There’s a renewed focus on leadership, accountability and involvement of the Commanding Officers of the nine MTA PD districts.
Gone are the days when customers were given verbal warnings about non-violent infractions; MTA Police officers now issue citations as a matter of course.
There’s greater collaboration with local law enforcement agencies, which gives MTA PD officers increased oversight on follow-up of summonses, arrests and investigations.
(Governor Cuomo says the MTA, Empire State Development, and Amtrak have reached a deal that would expand Metro-North service to the East Bronx. Courtesy of CBS New York and YouTube. Posted on Jan 22, 2019.)
Inter-agency cooperation extends to anti-terrorism efforts with regional, state and federal law enforcement.
The MTA PD works with New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services and the New York State Police for Operation NY SECURE.
The goal of this operation is to improve coordination and response between the MTA, New York State Police, Amtrak and the local law enforcement agency that will be responding to a potential incident.
Increased officer visibility at stations and platforms, including officers stepping on and off trains, serves as a powerful deterrent to anyone who may be contemplating committing a crime.
This ‘boots on the ground’ approach includes engaging customers with safety campaigns meant to raise awareness and prevent victimization, such as “See Something, Say Something” and the “Safeguard Your Electronics” initiative.
(New Yorkers keep New York safe. If you see something, say something. Courtesy of the MTA and YouTube. Posted on Mar 21, 2016.)
The MTA Police Department patrols a territory of approximately 5,000 square miles, including New York City, Long Island, southeastern New York State and southern Connecticut, and serves a population of 14.4 million people.
Since 9/11, the department has expanded in size and has ramped up dramatically its counter-terrorism capabilities, adding canine teams and emergency services officers.
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(On January 31, 2018, thirteen teams graduated from the MTA Police Department canine explosive detection training in a ceremony held at Grand Central Terminal. Courtesy of the MTA and YouTube. Posted on Apr 10, 2018.)
