NYC Will Test Gun Detectors on the Subway

New York City plans to test a new system that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to detect guns and other weapons on the Subway, Mayor Eric Adams announced on March 28. This move follows a recent incident where a man was shot with his own gun during a conflict with another passenger at a Brooklyn subway station.

Mayor Adams said that New York City is currently working with Evolv, a company from Massachusetts that makes weapons detection systems used in schools and other places across the US. However, Evolv has been criticized for how well its detectors work. It’s also been investigated by the government twice and is facing a lawsuit from its investors.

When New York City set up Evolv’s scanning machines at a Bronx hospital in 2022, they often mistakenly identified objects as weapons, a report revealed. Of 194,000 scans, 50,000 triggered an alarm, but 85% were false positives. Police officers mostly caused the few true alarms, and only 295 were due to civilians carrying knives, guns, or other types of weapons.

The test will begin in 90 days. It will follow the POST Act rules that allow the New York City Police Department to share details about its surveillance tools and their effects before using new ones. Mayor Adams mentioned that during this 90-day period, the city will also evaluate other suppliers.

A city spokeswoman clarified that New York City hadn’t signed a deal with Evolv. The announcement was actually an invitation for any company with similar technology to come forward, correcting what Mayor Adams had previously stated.

The Legal Aid Society argued that these systems often make mistakes by incorrectly signaling there’s a gun when there isn’t. They mention that, despite what the mayor says, New York City shouldn’t be used as a place for companies to test surveillance technology without people’s agreement.

New York’s state and local officials are working to make the subway safer. Governor Kathy Hochul has sent the National Guard and State Police to do random bag checks. Also, Caban recently took subway trips to listen to what passengers had to say. Authorities report that crimes in the transit system have increased by 4% this year compared to last and by 8% compared to 14 years ago.

On March 25, the New York Police Department also revealed a plan to deploy 800 extra officers for a one-week effort to target people skipping subway fares. In addition, the city is bringing on more mental health professionals to assist those dealing with mental illness.