NEW YORK CITY — The state is urging increased patrols in the subways to combat a surge in reports of sex crimes in the system.
In a letter sent Tuesday to MTA Chairman Thomas Prendergast, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said the more than 50 percent increase compared to last year "is completely unacceptable."
"We cannot and will not allow these crimes to persist," the governor, who controls the MTA, wrote.
Today I sent a letter to @MTA Chairman Prendergast regarding the safety of subway riders. https://t.co/w3j0ByfZbH pic.twitter.com/c96DG7Pm7C
— Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) June 21, 2016
Though Cuomo acknowledged that the MTA had taken steps to address the crimes, which are overwhelmingly committed against women, he said, "those actions may be a start, but they are not enough."
"Effective immediately, I am ordering the MTA to take all steps available to strengthen patrols in the subway system, including the use of more plainclothes officers to crack down on this sort of depraved behavior, and to work directly with the NYPD’s Transit Bureau to reassure riders and enforce the rule of law in light of these disturbing statistics," he said in the letter.
"The state recently approved the largest budget in the MTA’s history. We are investing in the MTA’s assets and safety is job one. New York State has zero tolerance for these despicable crimes."
The increase in reported sex crimes — 431 recorded this year, which is 156 more than last year — can be credited, in part, to more women coming forward to report the incidents to authorities, NYPD Transit Chief Joe Fox told MTA board members Monday morning.
Fox said there was no evidence to indicate that women are being subjected to more sex crimes as compared to previous years, just that more reports were being recorded.
The NYPD had already deployed more plainclothes officers into the subway system to target the predominantly male offenders this year. Police have made dozens of arrests for sexually motivated offenses, three-quarters of which were made by undercover officers monitoring trains and stations, the transit chief said.
The NYPD has already increased the number of officers assigned to watch for men preying on women in crowded subways for offenses that include forcible touching, public lewdness and unlawful surveillance.
The MTA, which plays train announcements urging women to report unwanted advances, has also created an online portal for victims to make an anonymous reports.
The agency has received 270 reports so far this year through the portal, which are sent to the NYPD, MTA spokesman Kevin Ortiz said Tuesday morning.
The NYPD did not immediately respond to request for comment.
