NYPD announced in April that “Operation Fare Play,” a concentrated effort to combat fare evasion, resulted in 175 arrests of “dangerous criminals” during the week-long initiative, between April 8-12. An extra 150 cops per day were posted at subway turnstiles solely to stop fare evaders.
Police executives say those who either hop turnstiles or barge their way through emergency gates are often found either bringing weapons into the transit system or are connected to other serious crimes such as attempted murder. According to Transit Bureau Deputy Chief Timothy Skretch, 175 people were arrested through the operation, including 18 felonies and 157 misdemeanors. Dozens had active warrants and 12 people had probable cause to be arrested for a previous crime. Drugs and weapons were recovered during the operation – including guns, knives, and brass knuckles, all of which were confiscated.
Source: amNY
