'Transit' and Police In Dispute on Protocol To Turn Off Power

'Transit' and Police In Dispute on Protocol To Turn Off Power


A recent policy change by New York City Transit that requires senior management approval of police requests to turn off subway power in an emergency may have allowed a purse-snatcher - suspected of four attacks in less than a week - to temporarily escape capture May 15 when he committed the final one despite having dozens of cops looking for him.

RAYMOND W KELLY: Defer to cops' judgment.

VPs Get Last Say

In an emergency requiring track power to be cut, the police have always been able to get a quick response by calling the Transit Operations Center. Under the new rule, stated in a May 7 memo by NYC Transit Senior Vice President of Subways Steven Feil, only "senior vice-president of subways or the president of the Transit System" can authorize a shutdown. Police were not aware of the memo, said a Police Department spokesman.

According to a NYC Transit statement, the rule, "is intended to insure that disruptions of service only occur when absolutely essential ... [it is] vital if we are to avoid the possibility of panic and/or the self-evacuation of passengers to tunnels, itself a potentially dangerous public safety situation. The safety and well being of our riders is the highest priority of NYC Transit ..."

Safety was not the only reason cited for the changes, with the memo noting, "Removing electrical power at the height of the rush hour can have an enormous impact on tens of thousands of customers aboard dozens of trains that would be left sitting in-between stations for an undetermined amount of time. Stalling trains on a major corridor also delays other customers who can't board trains and instead find themselves vying for space on overcrowded platforms."

According to a police spokesman, the officers did not learn about the change until a week later.

On the morning of May 15, more than 50 police officers were deployed at subway stations in downtown Manhattan, hoping to catch a man who had mugged three women in nearby stations over the preceding four days, each time leaping onto the tracks and disappearing into a tunnel to escape. At 7:40 a.m. at the Bleecker St. station on the 6 line, a man grabbed a woman's purse, dragged her several feet while wrestling it from her and then disappeared into a tunnel, according to police.

Power Shut-Off Refused

A police officer stationed on a nearby street heard noises coming from the subway grates that were directly above the tunnels. His request to have the power shut off was refused.

"That was the first time we became aware of it," said Deputy Commissioner Paul J. Browne. Transit officials disputed the timing of the call, saying first notification came at 8:42, followed by calls to top officials at 9:13 and 9:20, by which time the suspect had gotten away.

Patrick J. Lynch, president of the Patrolmen's Benevolent Association demanded that the rule be immediately rescinded in a May 16 statement. "Requiring the approval of one of two of the highest-ranking executives at NYC Transit to turn off subway power is unworkable unless one of them wishes to be on duty at the subway command center seven days a week 365 days a year," he said. "It is imperative that the power to pull subway power be vested in a manager who is working and present at the subway's command center, not some executive who may be unreachable for any number of reasons. Preventing a police response to a crime in progress for the sake of the subway's performance record is foolish and will allow serious crime to flourish in one of the city's most important assets. Furthermore, it is a policy that places our police officers at greater risk while doing an already risky job."

"The police and transit officials have always had a good working relationship," Mr. Browne said. "Commissioner [Raymond W.] Kelly sees no reason why that won't continue." Nevertheless, he indicated, there are certain situations - like the one last week - when transit officers should defer to the police officers' judgment.

Just before 10 a.m. May 20 at the Rector St. station in lower Manhattan, police say the man struck again, snatching a purse on the subway and then escaping into a tunnel.

Police the following day arrested Mark McIntosh, who reportedly confessed to the purse-snatchings.