The New York City Police Department (NYPD) is setting up a dedicated department aimed at addressing minor crimes occurring within the subway system. Commissioner Jessica Tisch unveiled this plan during her 2025 New Year’s Address on January 30th, highlighting her commitment to making New York City a safer place for all. The new division, called the “Quality of Life Division,” will focus on tackling the growing issue of subway-related crime, which has become one of the city’s biggest challenges in recent months.
The division’s primary goals include cracking down on smoking, drinking, occupying multiple seats, coercive begging, illegal street vendors, urinating in public, and the abandonment of vehicles within subway areas. As part of its transparency efforts, the NYPD plans to regularly release statistics related to the division’s activities. Commissioner Tisch emphasized that the subway and platforms should not serve as shelters for the homeless or makeshift mental health facilities. She stressed the NYPD’s duty to ensure public transportation, such as the subway, remains safe for commuters, noting that many individuals who commit violent crimes on public transit have long histories of misdemeanour offenses.
A criminologist from John Jay College weighed in on the new policy, suggesting that it mirrors a “broken window” approach aimed at addressing minor violations that could potentially lead to more serious crimes. However, they cautioned that stop-and-search tactics and crackdowns on individuals who have not been suspected of crimes should be avoided. Commissioner Tisch’s approach to combating minor infractions aims to prevent escalation into more significant issues.
To further improve safety on the subway system, Commissioner Tisch announced that 200 additional police officers will be deployed to subway stations with high crime rates. Additionally, two police officers will be assigned to each of the 150-night trains operating in the city. While the NYPD will not directly engage in federal enforcement of immigration law violations, it will assist in the apprehension of immigrants who have committed crimes. These initiatives aim to create a safer environment for all subway passengers while addressing issues related to minor criminal activity.