Gov. Kathy Hochul’s new push to deploy hundreds of state troopers and National Guard members in New York City’s subway to beef up security in the system was evident at Grand Central Terminal Wednesday evening.
About a dozen troopers, guard members and police officers stood near a makeshift station where bags were being checked, seemingly at random. One officer directed some people coming off a down escalator toward the bag station, while dozens of others passed without being stopped.
“I’m glad you guys are here,” a woman yelled. A man shook his head after his bag was inspected.
Matteo Biasin, a chemical engineer from Italy who visits the city for work monthly for two weeks at a time, was among those having his bag checked.
“It feels like more safety for me,” Mr. Biasin, 51, said, adding that was generally more at ease on the trains than on the city’s streets.
“Honestly,” he said, “I feel safer in the subway than outside.”
Ms. Hochul announced her plan to send 1,000 reinforcements to patrol platforms and check bags about a week after a train conductor was slashed across the neck on a southbound A train in Brooklyn.
The governor’s move reflects public officials’ awareness that the health of the subway is crucial to New York’s overall vitality, which makes ensuring that passengers feel safe a top priority for those managing the city’s post-pandemic recovery.
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