New York to deploy soldiers to check bags on subway

NEW YORK, Mar 07 (Reuters): New York Governor Kathy Hochul will deploy 750 soldiers from the state's National Guard to help New York City police check commuters' bags in the busiest stations in the city's sprawling subway system, she announced on Wednesday.

Another 250 officers from the New York State Police and the state-controlled Metropolitan Transportation Authority Police will also join the effort, which Hochul said was intended to deter crime. She announced the deployment in response to recent high-profile assaults on commuters and transit workers.

Crimes on the subway were down about 15 percent in February compared to the same month in 2023, according to police data. Hochul, a Democrat, said that commuters were not reassured by "rattling off" crime statistics.