May 16, 2008 7:17 pm US/Eastern
NYPD At Odds With MTA Over Power Policy
NEW YORK (CBS) ―
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New York City police say that a dangerous purse snatcher on the run was within their grasp Thursday, but a controversial new subway policy stopped them in their tracks. (File)
WJZ
New York City police say that a dangerous purse snatcher on the run was within their grasp Thursday, but a controversial new subway policy stopped them in their tracks.
The policy now has the NYPD and the MTA at odds.
"The incident yesterday was somewhat disturbing," Commissioner Ray Kelly said Friday.
What disturbed Kelly was that the new transit policy helped the serial subway mugger to slip out of a trap set by some 50 police officers. Transit officials refused to shut off power to the track so officers could go after him.
"Public safety agencies have to be able to make the call as to when the power is turned off. That's not just the police department, obviously fire department has to respond," he said.
Sources tell CBS 2 that earlier this month, and without knowledge of the NYPD, the MTA established new guidelines for turning off the juice. A request to shut off power now has to be green-lighted by the senior vice president of subways or the president of the MTA, who refused to do it Thursday.
"Yesterday it was a mugger, tomorrow it could be a terrorist and it's because the MTA is putting a priority on timeliness, not public safety. I think riders would rather show up alive and with their stuff than on time," said Councilman Peter Vallone (D-Queens), who heads the Public Safety Commission.
The MTA said the move is to insure that service disruptions occur only when necessary. Vallone has written a letter demanding that the policy be rescinded.
Passengers agree that if it means stopping crime, it's worth it.
"If they feel it is advisable to cut the power, then they should be doing that," said one New Yorker.
Added a commuter from Marshburn, N.J.: "I think it's better if they do turn off the power to get the bad guys because the person can harm someone else."
Vallone said if the MTA doesn't rescind the policy, he's going to call them on the carpet and hold hearings.
A city transit spokesman said requests to cut the power occur on a fairly regular basis.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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