A $77 million state fund established to increase New York Police Department presence in the city’s subway system has been depleted, prompting the city to assume financial responsibility for continued transit patrols, according to city and state officials.

The funding, announced by Governor Kathy Hochul in December 2025, aimed to bolster subway safety by deploying additional uniformed officers across the transit network. However, the dedicated state allocation was exhausted by July 2026, only weeks into New York City’s fiscal year, officials confirmed.

Following the depletion of the state appropriation, the administration of Mayor Alick Mamdani—who took office in January 2026 and ran on a platform that included reducing police overtime—must now uphold an agreement made under former Mayor Eric Adams to maintain a heightened police presence in the subway system. A spokesperson for the mayor stated that both the city and state intend to continue supporting enhanced NYPD subway patrols under the previously established funding arrangement.

The NYPD also confirmed it will persist in deploying the additional officers as stipulated in the ongoing agreement. Hochul’s office further clarified that the city had consented last December to assume the financial responsibility for the latter half of 2026, effectively covering costs after the state funds were spent.

Subway safety concerns remain pressing amid an 8% increase in felony assaults reported on the transit system in September compared to the previous month. Nonetheless, overall crime in the subways fell by approximately 1% during the same period, according to NYPD data.

The transition of funding responsibilities comes amid a broader debate over resource allocation for policing in the city’s transit infrastructure, as the new administration balances public safety with its stated goals regarding police payroll and overtime.