MTA Delays Plans to Hire New Police Officers, But Not Because of Recent Protests

Amid calls for police reforms, the MTA is delaying its plan to hire more police officers but it has nothing to do with recent protests.

The MTA simply doesn’t have the money right now. It’s looking at an $8 billion deficit due to lost fare revenue. It planned to hire 500 new cops this year to crack down on fare evasion and the homeless, a move some said led to over-policing and ticketing of people of color.

But Interim head of Transit Sarah Feinberg has rejected that view and maintains the MTA police were different
“Not all policing efforts are the same, and that's not a criticism of anyone in particular,” she said.

The agency has already hired more than 150 new officers this year. Future hires are on hold for now.