NYPD putting more cops on subway trains

NEW YORK (FOX5NY) - The NYPD says crime is down but they are increasing the number of police officers in the subway system so that people will feel safer after a rise in slashings across the city.

Police Commissioner Bill Bratton denied a report that there will be a cop in every train in the overnight hours, saying there are too many trains running for that to be practical.

Last month, Police Commissioner Bill Bratton said certain categories of crime had gone up in the city  including slashings and stabbings. Major felony crimes were up 36 percent over last year but he cited the extremely low numbers reported in the previous year making the current numbers look worse than they really are.

"We are never going to go back to the bad old days. They were plagued with crime," said Mayor Bill de Blasio on Wednesday.

Bratton says that 60 extra cops will be assigned to the sprawling Times Square subway complex.

Nine incidents in January alone were reported where innocent New Yorkers were cut by suspects with knives. All occurred underground either on a subway train or subway platform.

Among increased patrols, officials said cameras would eventually be installed inside subway cars, likely starting with newer cars first.

The NYPD also announced that the radios of transit officers will be able to communicate to radios of cops above ground. Until now, the radios were not compatible. A grant paid for the refitting of the radios.