Feb. 9, 1965 - Serious crimes, such as robberies, muggings, and assaults with weapons, rose by 52.5% in New York City’s subways last year. The increase in felony complaints was the largest in the history of the New York transit system.
Complaints of major crimes in the subway system totaled 1,707 in 1964, compared with 1,119 in 1963. Arrests for such crimes increased from 280 in 1963 to 339 last year.
This upsurge in major subway crimes was reported today by Joseph O’Grady, chairman of the Transit Authority. He spoke at graduation exercises for 98 rookie transit policemen in the auditorium of Hunter College.
O’Grady said the overall crime increase on the transit system in 1964, including misdemeanors and simple offenses, was 10.6%. He told an audience of 300, including Mayor Robert Wagner, that the rise in transit crime reflected a general increase of major crimes in the city.
This was supported by statistics released by the Police Department today showing a 9% rise in major crime throughout the city.
Urging a community-wide campaign against crime, O’Grady asserted: “With solid backing from the community, we can reverse the trend and instill fear of swift and sure justice in the hearts of the punks, the half-wits, and the no-wits who threaten the safety and well-being of our passengers.”
O’Grady complained of the numerous cases of subway crime in which other passengers were reluctant to assist those being victimized.
“Our passengers can help, as several did the other day in detaining a purse snatcher in Long Island City,” he said.
“Their action was commendable and a refreshing change from the apathy that seems to have afflicted another group of passengers in the Bronx. That group refused to give their names as witnesses when a gang of vandals on a bus was apprehended. All too often, nobody seems to care when crime is being committed.”
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