Governor Hochul’s decision to deploy police officers on every train from 9 PM to 5 AM is a misguided approach to transit safety. Ensuring safety for all transit riders is critical, but increasing police presence is not the solution our system or communities deserve.

Our transit system needs proactive investments in infrastructure, staff, and social supports—not hundreds of millions of dollars funneled into policing, which cannot resolve the wide range of challenges riders face daily. Safety must come through ensuring fairness for everyone, making the system work for all users, and focusing on preventing problems before they arise, instead of continually relying on police to respond, which isn’t always effective.

Policing has repeatedly proven to be reactive rather than preventive, addressing harm after it occurs– if at all. Just months ago, a tragic subway incident resulted in four people being shot, including an officer, showing the limitations of relying on police enforcement to create more equitable and safe spaces. This approach also risks further criminalizing poverty and vulnerable riders rather than tending to the root causes of crime, such as housing, inadequate mental health, and social services.

The timing of this decision is also troubling. President Trump’s comments about “giving NYPD their authority back” and his withdrawal from the Paris Climate Accords, again, serve as stark reminders of the dangers of regressive policies that undermine justice and climate progress. New York must lead with solutions rooted in equity, sustainability, and community care, not reactionary measures that perpetuate more harm.

Safe, equitable, and sustainable transit is possible. Governor Hochul’s plan is not the solution.