New York City Takes Aim at Enhancing Subway Safety with Weapons Detection Technology, Sparking Controversy among Legal Aid Society and others”.

Amidst concerns and criticisms from various groups, New York City is set to implement new technology to detect weapons in the subway system. The pilot program is expected to begin in a few months, following a 90-day waiting period after the impact and use policy for electromagnetic weapons detection systems is published.

The announcement was made by Mayor Eric Adams and NYPD Commissioner Edward Caban on Thursday. However, the Legal Aid Society quickly responded, criticizing the approach to public safety as “misguided, costly, and creating significant invasions of privacy.” They expressed concerns about the flawed nature of gun detection systems, citing that they often trigger false alarms which could potentially lead to dangerous situations.

Efforts to improve safety in the subway have also been made by New York state and local leaders. Gov. Kathy Hochul deployed the National Guard and State Police for random bag checks, and Commissioner Caban engaged with riders to hear their concerns. Transit crime has seen a 4% increase compared to last year and an 8% increase compared to 14 years ago. In addition, the NYPD announced plans to assign 800 more officers for a week-long crackdown on subway fare evaders and is hiring more clinicians to aid people with mental illness.

Overall, the city is taking proactive measures to enhance safety and security in the subway system, amidst concerns about the potential impact and effectiveness of the new weapons detection technology.