Arrest data shows Manhattan is NYC's transit crimes hub

As the recent Brooklyn subway shooting reignites discourse on the safety of users of New York City's transit system, a look at data from the last five years shows that Manhattan might be deserving of more police attention than other neighborhoods.

There have been reports and criticism of 'over-policing' in the city's neighborhoods of color. While it is impossible to determine how many cops are deployed in each neighborhood as NYPD does not make this public, data shows higher arrests for transit crimes in the city's financial district and other parts of Manhattan.

Assault, sex crimes are the 4 most commmon types of transit crimes in NYC

Precinct

113th

Forcible touching

2020

115 cases

242

2017

Sex crimes

375

427

Felony assault

2021

600

600

2019

660

Assault 3

1498

2018

763

84th

1st

18th

13th

14th

Precinct

113th

Forcible touching

2020

115

242 cases

Sex crimes

2017

427

375

Felony assault

2021

600

600

2019

660

Assault 3

1498

2018

763

84th

1st

18th

13th

14th

Precinct

113th

Forcible touching

2020

115 cases

242 cases

Sex crimes

2017

375

427

2021

Felony assault

600

600

2019

660

Assault 3

1498

2018

763

84th

1st

18th

13th

14th

Assault in the 3rd degree and its more serious version — felony assault — are the most common transit crimes you are likely to be a victim of in NYC. Over 60 percent of all arrests are for these crimes.

14th Precinct, aka Midtown South precinct, made the most arrests over all. No surprise there. That jurisdiction covers Times Square, Grand Central Terminal, Penn Station and Madison Square Garden.

And yes, sex crimes are high up there too! Be careful out there people!

How the precincts with the highest arrest records compare

Forcible touching

72

1st

Felony assault

127

18th

Sex crimes

84th

195

13th

Assault 3

374

14th

Precinct

Forcible touching

72

1st

Felony assault

127

18th

Sex crimes

84th

195

13th

Assault 3

374

14th

Precinct

Forcible touching

72

1st

Felony assault

127

18th

Sex crimes

84th

195

13th

Assault 3

374

14th

Precinct

Almost half of all arrests for assault and sex crimes were made by officers of the 14th Precinct.

Those two crime cateogries are also quite high on the arrest records of the neighboring 13th Precinct compared to others.

The 84th and 18th precinct recorded about the same rate (as 13th) of 3rd degree assault arrests. In case you are wondering what that is, it is recklessly causing injury to others with intent. Again, stay safe!'

Mayor Eric Adams, a former cop, campaigned on promises to make NYC safer. In the wake of the subway attack last week, transit safety would continue to be a focal point of how how true to those promises the mayor has been.