NYC Subway Crime Hits Lowest Point in 16 Years, Driven by Tech and Policing
Major crime in New York City's subway system reached its lowest level in 16 years in 2025, according to the NYPD, a decline the department attributes to increased police presence, expanded use of technology, and targeted safety initiatives.
While pandemic-era lows were excluded from the analysis, officials said the drop marked a significant milestone for the city's transit safety efforts. Chief of Transit Joseph Gulotta said that changes in strategy and better access to information have been key to the results seen over the past year.
“What I learned is the subway is not one precinct, one neighborhood, it’s a full community, and we had to shrink that down,” Gulotta explained. He emphasized that improving safety in the vast subway system required treating it as a cohesive whole, rather than a collection of isolated areas.
The department has increasingly relied on technology to enhance its operations, deploying tools that provide officers with real-time information. Gulotta said this connectivity is helping officers stay one step ahead.
More specifically, 2025 marked a record in gun recoveries within the subway system. “We took 77 guns out of the subway systems, which is the most ever; we average 25,” Gulotta said. “We just have to continue down that path and get better.”
Despite the improvements, Gulotta acknowledged that certain issues continue to pose challenges in daily operations. Among the more common incidents are passengers leaving their bags unattended and individuals falling asleep on the train, situations that sometimes cause confusion or raise safety concerns.
Looking ahead, Gulotta said the department will maintain and expand its current efforts in 2026, continuing to rely on technological tools and strategic deployments to suppress crime in the transit system.
The NYPD credits the success to a blend of traditional policing and innovative tools, forming a comprehensive approach that it hopes will sustain safer conditions across the city's sprawling subway network.