NEW YORK (1010 WINS/WCBS 880) -- Mayor Eric Adams’ plan to put police back on single-officer patrols in the subway system is being "modified" after a transit cop was attacked at a station in Brooklyn on the first day of the new initiative.
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The transit officer was assaulted at the Pennsylvania Avenue station in East New York around 6:45 p.m. Tuesday—the first full day some officers were patrolling the subway solo.
It all started when the cop saw a 24-year-old man smoking a cigarette on the 3-line platform at the station. He told the man to put out the cigarette, but the man refused, police said.
The man then threw himself down the platform staircase, and when the cop went to offer aid, the man grabbed him and attempted to drag him down the remainder of the staircase, according to police.
During the struggle, the man repeatedly tried to grab the cop’s firearm, police said. He was ultimately arrested and transported to a hospital for evaluation.
Police later identified the suspect as Alex Eremin, 24, who reportedly has a history of run-ins with officers. He was charged with a long list of crimes, including attempted robbery, assault on a police officer, resisting arrest, obstructing governmental administration, assault, disorderly conduct, violations of railroad laws and harassment.
Eremin’s arrest came hours after Adams detailed his plan for solo patrols, despite concerns from the NYPD’s largest union, the Police Benevolent Association.
Adams' plan was tweaked by the end of the day Tuesday, with the mayor agreeing to have two officers on train patrols, according to the PBA.
“PBA President Patrick Lynch and Mayor Adams have spoken regarding this evening’s assault on a Transit police officer performing solo patrol,” the PBA said in a statement. “The mayor indicated that the deployment plan will be modified so that there are two police officers on every train patrol.”
The Detectives' Endowment Association also issued a statement indicating they had spoken with the mayor after the assault. The DEA identified the cop who was attacked as a detective.
“Our first priority was the well-being of our Detective who was assaulted during a solo subway patrol by an emboldened criminal, who attempted to take his firearm,” DEA President Paul DiGiacomo said in the statement.
“The next priority was to speak to the Mayor about the safety of our members,” DiGiacomo continued. “Now, due to the efforts of the DEA, Detectives and fellow cops will not be alone when patrolling the subways. The Mayor knows the history of transit policing as well as we do — it’s a matter of life and death.”
In a statement to WCBS 880, the NYPD said: “We are continuing with the solo patrol concept by spreading officers out on posts but with the caveat that they be within sight of one another. This will increase visibility of police officers looking out for the riding public while at the same time looking out for each other.”
Adams spokesman Fabien Levy told the Daily News that the patrols are being modified, not abandoned.
“What’s going to happen is that they’re going to be in eyesight of each other,” Levy told the outlet.
Adams detailed his plan for solo patrols at a press conference Tuesday.
“For many years we had a version of what was called single patrol. I did it as a police officer,” the mayor said. “I wouldn’t have anyone do a job that I wouldn’t do.”
As part of the new plan, Adams had said lone officers would only be at smaller train stations, as opposed to massive transit hubs, and never during overnight hours.
The PBA had argued against the plan over fears that the solo patrols would hinder officers’ ability to protect both themselves and the public. The union warned the solo patrols would “accelerate the exodus” of officers putting in for retirement.
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