Ahead of the holidays, Governor Kathy Hochul today briefed New Yorkers alongside Metropolitan Transportation Authority CEO Janno Leiber and law enforcement officials on continuing efforts to increase safety within the subway system for all riders. Since announcing a robust five-point subway safety plan in March of this year, crime within the New York City Transit system is down 10 percent. Since January 2021, subway crime is down a total of 42 percent while ridership in the system has increased 148 percent. As part of this continued effort to make the subway system safer for riders, Governor Hochul has directed an additional 250 members of the New York National Guard to be deployed to Joint Task Force - Empire Shield. The Governor also announced that the MTA has installed 15,396 security cameras which are now included in 100 percent of all subway cars.

VIDEO: The event is available to stream on YouTube here and TV quality video is available here (h.264, mp4). The event with ASL is available to stream on YouTube here.

AUDIO: The Governor's remarks are available in audio form here.

PHOTOS: The Governor's Flickr page will post photos of the event here.

A rush transcript of the Governor's remarks is available below:

 Good afternoon. I'm proud to be joined here by Janno Lieber, our chair and CEO of the MTA, Joseph Gulotta, the Chief of Transit for NYPD, and Major General Shields, who's the general for our Army National Guard. Some of you may have been here, but last March, I stood with Mayor Adams and promised to do everything we could in our power to make our subways safer.

And to deliver on that promise, we sent in 750 members of the New York State National Guard, some are represented here today. And we also added 250 personnel from MTA, State Police. Now, recall that some people questioned that approach. They thought it wasn't necessary. Thought it was an overreach. But I was watching the numbers like a hawk.

And when I saw a spike, an aberration from where we have been trending downward in crime, we saw a little spike upward. I knew that we needed to quickly stabilize and ensure that we didn't start ending up in the wrong direction once again. A lot of people didn't think it would make a difference. And I'm incredibly proud of these individuals in uniform are here with me today to tell them, “No, in fact, it made an extraordinary difference.”

Thanks to our five point plan to improve public safety – subway safety, subway crime is down 10 percent just since last March. And only two years since the year 1970, have we had fewer subway crimes than we had this past year. Let me repeat that, so you can all tweet it out.

Only two years since 1970, have we had fewer subway crimes than we did over this past year. It's clear to me, as I've heard from many people, that the presence of the National Guard has made not just a physical difference, but a psychological difference in how they feel about safety. When people see a person in uniform, NYPD, MTA Transit, even our National Guard, they feel more secure.

Number one, it's a deterrent to those who would break our laws and threaten other riders. It also gives people that sense of security that if they have a problem, there's someone there to help. With more people also riding the subway – and I want to tell you this, more people are riding the subway. These individuals are working hand in hand to keep them safe.

You may or not know this, but last Thursday we hit a single day post pandemic record of 4.5 million riders, the most any day since March 11th in 2020. Overall, ridership is up another 500 this year over last. We're very, very proud of that as well.

Now, I will say this. You'll never hear me say mission accomplished. We'll never declare victory, because if there's a single crime on this subway or anywhere, it is a crime too many. I want to keep staying focused and this time of year, you can see all the people on the streets as I walked over with their suitcases and all excited about their arrival in New York City. Where else would you rather be than right here during the holiday season?

Between November and December, we're expecting about 7.5 to 8 million more visitors coming to our city, using public transit, taking our buses and subways, as well as walking our streets. We welcome them. We're excited they're here, but I want them to know when they come through that turnstile that they will be safe.

So today, at this particular time, with this higher volume of visitors and riders, I'm announcing an additional 250 more National Guard to be deployed to help support New York's Joint Task Force Empire Shield. This is the unit that protects our subways, our assets, as well as our streets. Members of the National Guard you see here are part of this organization.

I'll be clear, this is not in response to a specific crime. We're not seeing a trend that's alarming. But it's about continuing a strategy that has proven its success and expanding it to protect even more people. That's what we do. Do whatever we can.

There's one other initiative. We want to make sure there's eyes everywhere. The surveillance to make sure that people know that if something goes wrong, help will be there. Back in 2022, I directed the MTA to install cameras on every single subway car. I was told it would take some time into later 2025. Daniel heard me when I said, “that's too long.” I wanted it immediately because people are feeling so anxious.

I am really proud that as of today, 100 percent of subway cars are now equipped with cameras. That's extraordinary.

And I want to thank everyone involved with that incredible effort. It sounds simple to do – we have thousands of cars, thousands of cameras – but it was a major undertaking, but I wanted it done.

As part of our initiative, more cops on the beat, more cops in the subways. Our cameras, as well as care. We announced this, that was our strategy a couple years ago. I just want anyone to know, if you're thinking of committing a crime on the subway – we're watching, and you will be caught.

As I mentioned, so many people are coming here during the holidays. I'll be wandering the streets myself. Hope to get over to Bryant Park, Winter Carnival and Winter Shopping Area. I use a lot of shopping there. I'll be heading up to get my picture taken with my husband up at the tree. We love doing this. This is an incredible place, it's magical this time of year.

But it all starts with the fundamental obligation – to ensure that people who come here or those who live here every single day feel safe. And I'll never stop being grateful to the men and women of the National Guard, the State Police, MTA Police and the NYPD for putting on a uniform, standing with us today and into the future. We're reinforcing the numbers to have that sense of security that every New Yorker and visitor deserves to have.

So I think all of them, I thank you for what you're willing to do for us. At this point, I'd like to introduce our next speaker. Someone who's as committed to improving mass transit as I am – and that’s our MTA Chairman and CEO Janno Lieber.