Dear Mayor Adams, stop trying to fool people that the crime crisis is all in their heads

Mayor Adams has downplayed current transit crimes in NYC.
G.N.Miller/NYPost

Mayor Eric Adams won't ever guarantee public security on metropolis subways if he gained’t even admit the issue, as appeared the case Monday.

“We’re coping with the notion of concern,” Adams mentioned, downplaying the file variety of mass-transit slayings. The subway’s “common of six crimes a day just isn't giving the notion our system is uncontrolled,” he added, noting that 3.5 million folks a day use the system.

Huh? Is Hizzoner channeling pro-crime Metropolis Councilwoman Tiffany Cabán, who shrugged off subway violence as “a one-in-a-million occasion”? The issue with their argument: Nobody desires to be that “one” (or “six”) — and the thought terrifies everybody.

As Nicole Gelinas notes, Gotham’s “rising” subway-death toll is “horrific” not just for victims” however for “town’s well being.” From March 2020 by final weekend, a span of lower than 20 months, the system noticed 22 murders; by 2019, it took almost 13 years to build up that many. The 2022 toll is already the best in 25 years.

And simply hours after Adams spoke got here yet one more subway murder, when a person in a scuffle fell to the tracks in entrance of an oncoming practice.

Sorry, Mr. Mayor, subway crime is uncontrolled. That’s each the notion — and the truth.

A 48-year-old man was shoved in entrance of an oncoming Queens subway practice and killed Monday.

Wayne Carrington

Hizzoner compounded his error by answering a query on the subway murders: “There are too many weapons on our streets. . . . They’re additionally in our subway system, they’re additionally in our faculties, they’re all over the place.” Huh? Solely three of the 17 subway homicides this 12 months and final concerned weapons.

Certainly, as MTA President Richard Davey confessed Tuesday, “Even the presence of police hasn’t been capable of stem” a lot mass-transit crime.

Rep. Lee Zeldin had a greater take Tuesday: “Clearly, extra needs to be performed to guard security” on the subways, he insisted, flagging the “mindless” homicide of Michelle Go, pushed to her demise in entrance of a practice in January, and the Inexperienced Goblin gang, “who didn’t present up with weapons” however attacked harmless riders nonetheless. Subway crime entails “a complete bunch of different dynamics past” firearms.

What’s plainly wanted are enforced requirements: Don’t let the violently mentally unwell roam free; repair the revolving-door “criminal-justice reforms”; significantly crack down on fare-beating.

Zeldin has centered his marketing campaign on reining in crime — above and beneath floor. Adams did, too, final 12 months — routinely turning up at crime scenes and slapping down each rival who tried to go off the disaster as simply “notion.”

You gained by not denying the truth that New Yorkers reside, Mr. Mayor. Don’t inform us to disregard our personal mendacity eyes now.