City to put gun scanners in front of subway turnstiles
/
Mayor Eric Adams unveiled a new pilot program to bring weapon scanners into subway stations. Photo by Ed Reed/Mayoral Photography Office
By Ryan Schwach
Following a number of headline-grabbing violent incidents inside the city’s subway system – but as subway crime, in general, continues to decrease – the city said on Thursday that it will soon be installing weapons scanners in stations throughout the five boroughs.
On Thursday, Mayor Eric Adams and NYPD officials rolled out their intention to outfit subway stations with special weapon scanners that commuters will have to walk through in order to catch their train. The scanners, which resemble metal detectors, are designed to catch straphangers attempting to bring guns into the subway system.
The new scanners, which detect weapons and not other metals and valuables, are already used in places in the city like Citi Field, and will be piloted in 90 days following a legally-mandated waiting period.
The move comes not after a dramatic uptick in subway crime, but after a few “high profile” incidents, as NYPD transit officials said, that have changed the perception of safety on subway platforms.
“We have over 4 million riders a day in a reliable system, and we know that we have approximately six felonies a day out of those 4 million riders,” said Adams at the Fulton Street station on Thursday. “But if they don't feel safe, then we're not accomplishing our tasks…If people don't believe they are in a safe environment, that is what we are going to accomplish.”
“Our city is not out of control,” he added, citing decreases in crime in February and March.
The mayor has reiterated his belief that recidivists are pushing crime in New York City, something that has come back into the forefront after NYPD Officer Jonathan Diller was killed by two suspects who both had been arrested over 20 times prior.
The scanners, officials hope, could stop those would-be criminals from bringing weapons onto the subway.
Officials demonstrated the system with NYPD non-firing training weapons, showing how the scanners went off when officers with the guns passed through and how officers just carrying phones or other belongings walked through without setting off an alarm.
“We are going to use technology to identify those bad people who are carrying bad weapons,” said Adams.
Passing through the system will be mandatory for getting on the train once implemented.
On Thursday, Adams attempted to preemptively tamper any pushback or privacy concerns.
“I say to those who are afraid of scanners and rather not walk through it, I would rather you be safe,” he said. “We understand New Yorkers value their privacy, and we understand that we must be transparent on how this technology is used and we're going to do that. But the goal is to keep New York City safe.”
When demonstrated, officials showed that the system, developed by Massachusetts-based company Evolv, detects weapons and the location where they are on the body. The mayor said police will only search the area on a person’s body where a potential weapon is detected.
It will be a while until commuters see the new systems, since the city needs to wait a full 90 days before implementation as required by law. The countdown began on Thursday.
Also beginning Thursday was the city’s search for companies hoping to get in on the city’s crime reduction tech efforts inside the subway system.
“Bring us your product, let us test it,” Adams said. “This is the best testing ground on the globe to see how good your product is.”
As for where the scanners will be placed, and how many there will be, time will tell for that too.
“There's got to be a complete analysis to determine a way we would deploy,” said Adams, who added that scanners could be placed around areas where they see gun arrests or shots fired incidents around the city.
“We're going to look at those areas and make a determination on whether we should place the machines in those locations,” the mayor said. “The beauty of this is that they're mobile, they don't have to be fixed.”
Civil rights and justice groups are already hesitant about any potential system’s implementation.
“Simply put, gun detection systems are flawed and frequently trigger false alarms, which induces panic and creates situations that could result in the loss of life,” said Jerome Greco, the supervising attorney of the Digital Forensics Unit at The Legal Aid Society. “This administration’s headstrong reliance on technology as a panacea to further public safety is misguided, costly, and creates significant invasions of privacy.”
“During this interim period, we urge all New Yorkers to voice their concerns with the city over these dystopian technologies,” Greco added. “Contrary to the mayor’s claims, New York City should not serve as a testing ground for surveillance corporations; the public has not consented to be a part of these experiments.”
Some Queens elected officials have also voiced concerns, including State Senator Kristen Gonzalez who called the scanners “security theater.”
“What New Yorkers need is deep investment in public transit and public services,” she said on Twitter. “Not another gamble of our city’s funds on invasive, unproven and dangerous technology.”
On top of the technology plan, the mayor also announced an expansion of the city’s SCOUT program, which deploys medical professionals in the subway to help with people having severe mental issues in stations or on the train.
The $20 million expansion from the state will go to expanding to 10 SCOUT teams by the end of 2025.
"Since the start of my administration, Mayor Adams and I have worked together closely to keep the subways safe for all New Yorkers," said Governor Kathy Hochul. "This month, I announced a five-point plan to improve safety in the subways, including dedicating $20 million to expand the SCOUT program, which will help more New Yorkers receive the treatment they need. The new technology announced today builds on our existing commitments to place cameras throughout the system and will help law enforcement keep dangerous weapons out of the system."
