NEW YORK, NY - The Associated Press reports that a pilot program involving AI-powered weapons scanners deployed at New York City subway stations had somewhat confusing results. The scanners' data showed zero passengers–none–had firearms during the trial period. In a city the size of New York with a high prevalence of crime in the city, this would seem to be, shall we say, low.
The NYPD said the system conducted nearly 3,000 searches and turned up 118 false positives and only twelve knives. However, they refused to say if the positive hits were triggered by illegal blades or tools, such as pocket knives, that are permitted in the transit system.
Earlier this year, besieged Big Apple Mayor Eric Adams announced the program using portable scanners manufactured by Evolv, which was rolled out at several subway stations to deter violence within the system.
Not everyone was as enthusiastic as Adams, however. Some subway users and civil liberties groups objected to the plan, claiming it wasn’t feasible and violated civil liberties since it would be deployed to potentially scan millions of riders using the system through hundreds of entrances daily. Although violent crime is rare within the transit system, two high-profile incidents earlier this year preceded the announcement.
Critics seized on the data, calling the program “objectively a failure,” CBS News reported.
When Adams unveiled the program, he touted its benefits for subway riders, calling it a “game changer.”
“I think this is going to become a norm for us. I think the turnstiles are going to change. Eventually, every turnstile is going to be able to identify if someone is carrying a gun,” Adams said. “I think it’s a game-changer for the transportation system across the globe. As always, New York is going to lead the way.”
Adams had promised to release the pilot program's results after the trial period. Finally, the NYPD released a statement Wednesday noting that 2,749 scans were conducted at 20 stations during a 30-day trial period. That led to 118 false positives or a rate of 4.29%.
The statement didn’t address issues such as the length of time for each screening, how many officers were used to staff the devices, nor how many riders refused the searches, the AP said.
The city has not yet entered into a contract with Evolv, and the NYPD said it was still “evaluating the outcome of the pilot.”
The scanners were previously installed at a city-run hospital, and Adams promised they would soon also be deployed at public schools.
The manufacturer has faced several legal issues over the years, which included federal probes into its marketing practices, which the Federal Trade Commission and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission led.
The company is also facing a class-action lawsuit filed by investors. The lawsuit accuses the company of overstating the devices’ capabilities and noting that “Evolv does not reliably detect knives or guns.”
The Legal Aid Society told CBS News that it hopes the system will be mothballed due to the project's apparent failure.
“That’s 118 additional New Yorkers who were subjected to additional stop and search, who had their privacy invaded for no reason. The fact that the NYPD notes 12 knives but no arrests leads me to believe these were completely legal knives,” Legal Aid Society attorney Diane Akerman said.
The Legal Aid Society also issued a statement, slamming the Adams administration for delaying the release of the pilot program’s results.
“It’s now abundantly clear why the administration delayed releasing these figures. Not only did the Evolv scanners detect zero firearms, but they triggered 118 false alarms, compromising the safety of subway riders. This is objectively a failure, no matter how hard City Hall tries to spin this data,” the statement read.
"Given this failed pilot, all the other overwhelming evidence against using Evolv’s weapons detectors, and the surrounding controversies, including lawsuits and various investigations, we hope that this ill-conceived, fraught, and unwanted idea is finally shelved for good.”
The NYPD says the pilot program was free to the city and is also looking at testing similar technology from other companies.
“During this trial program, there were no shootings at any subway stations where the Evolv technology was deployed,” an NYPD spokesperson told CBS News.
City Hall, however, views the program as a means to deter criminals. A representative told CBS News that the administration is continually looking for ways to keep weapons off the subways.
“Public safety and justice are the prerequisites to prosperity, and as our administration continues to look for ways to keep weapons off our subways, the NYPD’s pilot with Evolv helped serve as a deterrent to criminals and keep New Yorkers safe. At this time, the NYPD is still evaluating the results of the pilot and has not entered into any contract or commitments with the vendor,” a City Hall spokesperson said.
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