The New York Army National Guard, which has been patrolling the city’s subway system since last week, is getting support from Mayor Eric Adams.

“The presence of a uniform makes people feel better. And if the National Guard or the state police want to add to that presence, I applaud that,” Adams said.

What You Need To Know

  • Mayor Eric Adams publicly displayed his support for Gov. Kathy Hochul's subway safety plan Tuesday, a week after the New York Army National Guard was deployed into the city subway system
  • The support from Adams comes after he was visibly absent from the announcement of the new plan last week
  • Hochul continued to defend her plan Tuesday
  • The increased underground presence comes after transit crimes have spiked recently

Adams made the comments Tuesday at his weekly off topic press conference with reporters. He said the city is working to make sure New Yorkers feel safe.

“I can tell New Yorkers every day that out of the 4 million riders, that only six felonies happen, but if people don’t feel safe, that means nothing,” Adams said.

Gov. Kathy Hochul deployed 750 National Guard members and a combined 250 New York State Police and Metropolitan Transportation Authority Police officers into the subway system last week to help check bags after a spike in transit crime.

Transit crime is up 13% over the last year.

On Tuesday, Hochul defended the decision while trying to dispel doubts over the deployment. Adams was visibly absent from the announcement of the new plan last week.

“My schedule isn’t terribly flexible. We had a time we could do it. He couldn’t make it,” Hochul said. “It’s a five-point plan. We talked about it with the mayor’s team. I can’t tell you any more, other than that’s exactly how it came down. I’ll be with the mayor today. We continue to talk all the time. We have a very close relationship when it comes to teaming up."

Hochul also explained Tuesday why she chose to provide more police presence over funding.

“They said we need help. This is how I can give you help. Three ways: state police, National Guard, more transit police. If you want money, money comes in budgets. If I handed you money, that day would not have materialized into more people being hired and helping out,” Hochul said.

Meanwhile, Adams deflected answering a question about whether he would prefer having more money for NYPD overtime as opposed to the increased presence of the National Guard.

“I would love to have both. I would love to have that state trooper standing there. I think their uniforms are cool as hell,” Adams said. “We could always use more funding. I want to make sure we use that funding correctly.”

Part of the spike in crime on the subways has included attacks on transit workers. In one incident, an MTA worker was slashed in the neck, while another involved a worker getting punched in the face.

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg announced charges in the punching case Tuesday.

Hochul said part of her subway safety plan will also include mental health services for those in need and judges getting the discretion to ban someone from the subway system for three years.

The governor also pushed back Tuesday against criticism that she was militarizing the subway, reiterating that “long guns” should not be used by the National Guard.