MTA worker in plain clothes arrested after alleged fare evasion, dispute with NYPD: sources
QUEENS, N.Y. (PIX11) – An on-duty MTA employee was arrested at a Queens subway station after police saw him pass through an emergency gate while wearing plain clothes without paying the fare, sources said Wednesday.
The employee went through an emergency gate for work-related reasons around 3 p.m. on Tuesday, sources said. He wasn't wearing anything that would immediately identify him as an employee, according to sources.
The employee wasn't cooperative and argued with the police officer who approached him for evading the fare, sources said. He then allegedly slapped the officer's hand, according to sources.
The employee didn't identify himself as an MTA worker until after he was arrested, sources said.
An MTA spokesperson told PIX11 News the employee was suspended pending further investigation.
It wasn't immediately clear where the incident occurred.
On Monday, NYPD officials announced they would deploy hundreds of cops into dozens of New York City subway stations this week as part of an ongoing effort to combat fare evasion.
Operation “Fare Play” is a five-day initiative to crack down on turnstile jumpers and other fare evaders at strategic subway locations in the five boroughs, according to the NYPD. About 800 uniformed and plain-clothes cops will patrol the stations, officials said.
Erin Pflaumer is a digital content producer from Long Island who has covered both local and national news since 2018. She joined PIX11 in 2023. See more of her work here.