New York Subway Crime Rate Drops by Nearly 40% in January.

New York City Police Department (NYPD) released the latest security data on February 4th, indicating a significant decrease in subway crime rates in January 2025 compared to the same period last year. The number of crime cases decreased from 231 to 147, a 36.4% drop. This change demonstrates an improvement in subway security despite a notable increase in passenger volume attributed to the implementation of congestion pricing.

Since the congestion pricing policy took effect on January 5th, subway ridership has noticeably increased. According to data from the New York State government, the number of passengers has been steadily rising, sometimes by tens of thousands per day. For instance, on January 8th (the first Wednesday after the policy came into effect), the total subway ridership reached 3.8 million, surpassing last year’s figure by over 530,000. This indicates the initial effectiveness of government policies encouraging more residents to use public transportation.

Mayor Adams credited the decline in subway crime rates to the city’s multiple security measures, especially the decision to increase patrol police forces. He noted that in the past year, an additional 1,200 police officers have been deployed to patrol the subway system, along with 300 officers dedicated to nighttime subway safety patrols.

“Public safety is a prerequisite for the prosperity of the city, and the latest crime data shows that our comprehensive security strategy is making a tangible impact, achieving measurable progress,” Mayor Adams stated. “We have seen a significant decrease in overall crime rates and subway crime rates, with the number of shooting incidents hitting the lowest January record in over 30 years.”

Governor Hochu also commended the improvement in subway safety. She announced a $77 million allocation on January 16th to further enhance nighttime subway patrol forces. Additionally, she instructed the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) to install over 15,000 surveillance cameras inside all subway cars and deployed around 1,250 National Guard members to assist police in subway patrols.

Not only has subway crime rates decreased, but overall crime rates in New York City showed a notable downward trend in January 2025. According to NYPD data, the overall crime rate in seven major crime categories decreased by 16.8% compared to the same period last year. Murder cases dropped by 24%, robberies by 26%, serious assaults by 6.9%, burglaries by 3.7%, major thefts by 21.7%, and car thefts by 23.1%.

However, reports of rape cases in January this year showed a significant increase, rising by 40% compared to January 2024, from 106 to 149 cases. City officials explained that this abnormal data could be related to a state law that expanded the legal definition of rape in September last year, including certain sexual assault victims under the category of rape victims, thereby aligning more cases with reporting standards. Additionally, a higher proportion of rape cases were associated with domestic violence, indicating an increase in reporting rates for such crimes.

Despite the significant decrease in crime rates, concerns about subway safety among some residents are not completely alleviated. A case at the end of 2024, where a 57-year-old homeless woman was fatally set on fire inside a Brooklyn subway car, sparked widespread attention and prompted the city government to enhance subway security measures.

Mayor Adams emphasized on Tuesday that in addition to improving security data, the government needs to ensure that residents “not only are safe but also feel safe.”

NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch praised the efforts of the police officers. In a statement, she said, “Analyzing crime data daily and adjusting the deployment of police forces to ensure that officers can be effective where they are most needed has begun to yield visible results and will continue to improve the security situation in New York City.”