Police gave the bum’s rush to this homeless woman at the Lincoln Center subway station Monday after an MTA board member complained to a high-ranking NYPD official that the pack-rat bag lady was turning the transit hub into an eyesore.
Andrew Albert told NYPD Transit Chief Joseph Fox during a monthly meeting Monday that he had complained to cops about the woman’s massive collection of trash bundles — but that police had been unable to keep her out of the station.
“I had some communication . . . about this woman who has 20 tremendous bags around her and has for months been on the uptown platform of the 66th Street 1 station,” Albert said.
“The captain said he has offered her assistance and has removed her belongings. But they are back again.
“Doesn’t the fare entitle you to transportation, not to actually live in the station?”
After the board member’s pointed comments, the NYPD quickly moved to roust the woman, who had been living with more than a dozen Duane Reade shopping bags filled with unknown items wrapped in plastic trash bags.
A Post photographer found her sharing bananas with another homeless person just before police arrived. She threatened to kick the lensman when he asked her name.
The woman eventually piled her belongings onto an uptown 1 train, as a police officer held the door for her while keeping riders waiting for several minutes. She rode away to an unknown location.
Albert said allowing homeless people to use subway platforms as makeshift flophouses is as unsafe as it is unsightly.
“It’s obviously not a healthy situation for the homeless person, either, with the rail dust 24 hours a day and people doing odd things at all hours to the person,” he said.
At the meeting, Fox explained that cops will remove a homeless person’s belongings if they see signs of an encampment, although they don’t move vagrants unless they are doing something illegal.
Albert argued that living in the subway system was itself illegal. Fox said, “It is not encouraged.”
Straphangers said they hope cops will step up their enforcement and get homeless people to shelters.
“I see people all the time at 1-train stops who are clearly, you know, not waiting for the train,” said Emile, 22, a Columbia University student. “It’s heartbreaking if there are people sleeping at a subway station, but, I mean, the police have to step in. It’s a train station, not a homeless shelter.”