A masked serial arsonist callously set a blaze next to a dozing subway passenger during a bizarre hour-long spree across Manhattan and Queens last week, police said.

New York City police officers will no longer engage in high-speed pursuits of suspects in low-level crimes in a move aimed at keeping civilians and officers safe, NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said Wednesday.

New York City's police department is cracking down on high-speed chases after finding that about one-quarter of more than 2,200 initiated last year led to a collision, property damage, physical harm or death.