NYPD to increase subway patrols

NEW YORK (FOX 5 NY) - Police Commissioner Bill Bratton says certain categories of crime went up in January including felonious assaults -- namely slashings. Nine incidents in January and two so far this month where innocent New Yorkers were cut by suspects with knives. All occurred underground either on the subway or the subway platform

Police brass will beef up the visibility of police amongst straphangers. Chief Jimmy O'Neal said more uniformed and plainclothes officers will be assigned underground.

Authorities released images of a suspect wanted for an incident Sunday. He slashed a man who got into a dispute with a woman he knew.

City officials announced that cameras will eventually be installed inside subway cars, likely starting with newer cars first.

Still, Bratton is forced to contend with the fact the wave of slashings have cast a shadow on January's safe start. He also took aim at sleeping straphangers, whom the department says can be prey. He said sleeping riders are easy targets of crime.