42.4 F
New York
Friday, March 29, 2024

NYPD Commissioner Considers Banning Repeat Offenders From NYC Trains

Related Articles

-Advertisement-

Must read

NYPD Commissioner Bill Bratton stated that he is currently involved in talks with the head of the MTA regarding the possibility of banning repeat offenders from using subway transit.

This week, NYPD Commissioner Bill Bratton and NYPD Chief of Transit Joseph Fox warned subway riders to stay vigilant, in response to an increase in violence. Bratton stated that he is currently involved in talks with the head of the MTA regarding the possibility of banning repeat offenders from using subway transit. Bratton also said he will be increasing the number of officers to wake up sleeping passengers, whom the NYPD believes comprise half of the victims of subway violence.

“We’ll be meeting with [MTA chairman Thomas] Prendergast to explore further the options,” Bratton said yesterday. Those options include legislation as well.

“Some of the characters [NYPD Chief of Department James] O’Neil and I were chasing in 1990 are still there 25 year later,” Bratton added. “And they’re there 25 years later with 25, 50, 150 arrests under their belt.”

“So, why can’t we not ban that person from going into the environment to be committing all that crime. And if they continue to go in, lets put ‘em away from a lot longer period of time, so they can’t be victimizing New Yorkers. Why not explore that option?”

Mayor de Blasio has not yet publicly commented on Bratton’s suggestion. In a statement, City Hall spokesman Monica Klein said that “tracking down on perpetrators of sex crimes” in subways is a top priority of the Mayor, who is “always interested in using additional tools to protect New Yorkers against transit crime.”

Last month, the NYPD reported that 250 more assaults took place than in January 2015. NYPD Director of Operations Dermot Shea states that fifty of those assaults were committed against Rikers Island correction officers and 50 more against NYPD officers.

According to Fox, six slashings and four stabbings occurred last month, marking an increase over January 2015, when three slashings and two stabbings took place.

Fox believes that the incidents are “not gang related. There’s not a pattern. There’s not a connection between any two of them. It’s two people .. having some type of exchange, and becoming violent.”

“If you get into words with somebody, it’s not worth it,” Fox added. “Don’t engage. Sometimes people aren’t prepared to engage verbally without becoming violent.”

As Commissioner Bratton put it, “You need to be very aware…avoid certain people…acting irrationally.” Bratton states that such individuals may be “drunk,” “under the influence of drugs, or are emotionally disturbed.”

balance of natureDonate

Latest article

- Advertisement -