The subway systems of most large cities have long been considered one of the least safe places. Poorly lit, isolated and with few exit points, victims can be easily overwhelmed, especially during off-peak hours when the platforms are nearly empty. In the wake of a series of violent crimes that included the assault of two train conductors, New York Governor Kathy Hochul deployed the National Guard to New York City subway platforms to check bags for weapons and provide security for passengers, adding to 1,000 city officers which New York Mayor Eric Adams had already deployed in February.
According to data from the mayor’s office cited by News 4, New York police officers have seized 450 guns in the transit system this year, including 21 illegal ones, a substantial increase from a year ago, when 261 were seized. weapons. nine of which were pistols. And according to NYPD data, 392 police reports were filed in February 2024, including reports of assault, robbery, sex crimes, murder and weapons charges that occurred inside the city’s subways.
But now New York City is taking more aggressive, inhumane measures to keep the subways safe. The city will begin testing gun detection systems to be deployed at 472 stations throughout the city.
At Thursday’s press conference, Mayor Adams demonstrated the new strategy with an Evolv Technologies project (NASDAQ:EVLV) weapons detection system. Unlike traditional metal detectors, the system uses metal detection plus artificial intelligence, X-rays and thermal imaging to detect hidden threats. By not emptying individuals’ pockets or removing laptops, the system allows for much quicker screening and shorter queues. The Evolv system has been implemented in 300 hospitals, 40 sports arenas and more than 800 schools across the country.
But the system is not infallible. An investigation by an independent research group led the company to change its mission from “Creating a Gun-Free Zone” to “Creating Safer Experiences” after deficiencies in tracking statistics were discovered.
Surveillance industry research group, IPVM, studied the Evolv system and found that the system had difficulty distinguishing between cell phones and smaller knives. By changing the system’s sensitivity setting, guns were identified more easily, but incorrectly on laptops, while even smaller knives were missed. At a higher sensitivity setting, Evolv has provided false alarms for many cell phones. According to internal Evolv data cited by IPVM, the company was able to hide these findings until numerous stabbings occurred at Evolv sites where knives had passed undetected.
The cheapest alternative to weapon detection systems are metal detectors. While metal detectors can be up to 10 times cheaper than a weapons detection system, the inaccuracy is significant and typically results in long lines. Metal detectors may be just as effective at identifying weapons, but non-metallic objects such as knives and bombs are not detected.
So until there is a better way to detect a weapon with close to 100% accuracy, cities, schools and entertainment venues will have to weigh costs against security. Both metal detectors and weapons detection systems require human intervention, so it is unlikely that places like New York City will ever find themselves without a large law enforcement presence in the subway system.