Community on board with MTA’s push to put cameras on trains

Posted

Some residents and community leaders in Riverdale and Kingsbridge say they support the Metropolitan Transit Authority’s (MTA) plans to install more cameras, among other new safety measures.

“We live at the end of the line [on the 1 train] and we’ve had a problem in the past from people who were dozing,” said Community Board 8’s Public Safety Committee Chairwoman Arlene Feldmeier. “I hope this discourages thieves now that there will be cameras.”

After Public Advocate Letitia James and several advocacy groups pushed for security measures to prevent assaults on commuter trains over the summer, the MTA agreed to initiate a series of operations to address criminal violations on the subway system.

In a press conference on Oct. 1, Ms. James announced that the MTA plans to install cameras on the 752 subway cars that are replacing old subway trains as part of its 2015-2019 capital plan. The MTA did not reveal how much the cameras would cost, nor did it specify which subway lines would be equipped with surveillance cameras first. 

But Kevin Ortiz, the MTA’s deputy director of external communications, said newly modeled cars known as the R211 are still being designed and will have the extra surveillance. He could not confirm if the new-model Bombardier R179 train cars would be equipped with cameras as well.  

As of Sept. 21, there were 16 transit crimes reported within the confines of the 50th Precinct this year to date, compared to the eight that were reported at the same time last year. In an interview with the Press earlier this summer, Paul Rasa, the commanding officer of the 50th Precinct, said that a number of transit crimes in the precinct have involved criminals preying on unsuspecting passengers who are drunk or asleep at the 225th, 231st, 238th and 242nd stations on the 1 line — though the crimes are not limited to any specific lines or subway stops.

Tanisia Morris, MTA, Public Safety, Community Board 8, Letitia James, Cameras, Commuter Safety, Subway System, Train
Page 1 / 3