Gun scanners in NYC subway stations get pushback from Legal Aid Society, lawmakers

NEW YORK (PIX11) – A new pilot program aimed at making commuters feel safer on the subway system is coming to New York City this summer.

The city will be testing portable gun scanners at select subway stations, which are capable of detecting whether a person is carrying a gun. There has been a 50% increase in patrol officers finding weapons on the subway, according to NYPD data.

NYPD officers tested out the technology at the Fulton Center in Lower Manhattan. An officer, who brought his gun with the firing pin removed, walked through the electromagnetic detector.

The scanner lit up in red, showing the outline of the weapon on the officer’s left side.

The scanners are mobile and can be deployed at any subway station in the five boroughs, according to officials. The checks would not be mandatory, but if you want to skip the detector, you’ll have to enter the subway station from somewhere else.

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The city and police are legally required to post the rules and guidelines for any new technology for a 90-day public review period before the pilot program rolls out at stations.

The Legal Aid Society opposed the technology, saying it’s an invasion of privacy. Some City Council members said funds that should be spent on mental health are being misguided.

Mayor Eric Adams said the scanners don’t record or use artificial intelligence and facial recognition. He hopes Homeland Security can fund the security measure.

The detectors would get a test run at the end of June.

Erin Pflaumer is a digital content producer from Long Island who has covered both local and national news since 2018. She joined PIX11 in 2023. See more of her work here.

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