NYC Mayor Eric Adams and senior NYPD officials embarked on an overnight tour of New York City’s subway system, confronting the stark reality of homelessness that has turned parts of the transit network into makeshift encampments. The visit provided a sobering view of the challenges posed by the ongoing crisis.
With reporters from The NY Post accompanying them, Adams and Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch joined a multi-agency outreach team at the 34th Street/Herald Square station. During their rounds, the group encountered 96 individuals experiencing homelessness, many of whom were grappling with mental health challenges.
The outreach teams worked late into the night but faced significant resistance. Of the nearly 100 individuals they approached, only 16 accepted assistance. Among them was a man without shoes who was brought to a shelter and a woman in need of medical attention who was transported to a hospital.
However, most declined the offers of help.
“Everyone must do their part, and we need Albany to step up,” Adams said. “If we’re on the ground talking about what we need on the ground, they need to assist us by giving us what we need.
“If we’re saying we need to codify around involuntary removal, they shouldn’t be pushing back because we’re out here. Give us the tools that we’re saying we need so we can turn the corner on this issue.
“This is inhumane,” he added. “It requires determination.”
Adams’ remarks come as state lawmakers deliberate on the Supportive Interventions Act, which would allow authorities to forcibly remove individuals from public spaces if they require medical or psychiatric care.
In 2022, Adams introduced a “tough love” policy, granting police the authority to detain individuals against their will if they were deemed to need intervention. He praised the policy’s outcomes late last year, but it’s unclear how rigorously City Hall enforced it. The recent walk-through at Penn Station suggests that the initiative has struggled to achieve its goals, leaving police in a precarious position, balancing enforcement with concerns about excessive force.
During the tour, Adams joined members of the PATH (Partnership Assistance for Transit Homelessness) team, which operates from 8 p.m. to 3 a.m. The PATH program includes personnel from the NYPD, Department of Homeless Services, and the health department, who work collaboratively to address the crisis.
NYPD Chief of Transit Joseph Gulotta was also part of the group.
Penn Station has long been a gathering place for individuals experiencing homelessness and those with untreated mental illnesses.
The timing of the tour is notable, coming shortly after the acquittal of Daniel Penny, a former Marine who faced criminal charges in the subway chokehold death of Jordan Neely, a homeless man—a tragic outcome highlighting systemic failures.
“We did a disservice years ago when we closed our psychiatric wards,” Adams said. “We have excellent homeless outreach, and if we don’t address this, it’s going to elevate and it’s just going to get worse.
“In a minute, this could turn violent,” he added.
While city officials report that crime on the subway and across the city has decreased, they acknowledge that many New Yorkers still feel uneasy.
“Arrests are up, crime is down in the city,” Tisch said. “There is still a perception of disorder, and the mayor has launched a number of initiatives—this being a prime example—to get at those things that create the feeling of disorder in the city.”
Since its inception, the PATH program has engaged with approximately 5,300 individuals in need, connecting 1,700 with care and services. About 8,000 people have been placed in shelters, and 700 have transitioned into housing.
“What you’re seeing here is the perfect example of the city realizing that you can’t arrest your way out of a problem,” Tisch said. “This is the perfect example of the police partnering with clinicians and providing care for people who need care.”
{Matzav.com}