NYPD officers have a new tool when it comes to combating subway surfing: drones.
Police have been deploying the flying devices from rooftops to prevent teens from dangerously riding on top of moving subway trains, WABC-TV reports. Video footage from the drone is sent to NYPD headquarters and the Transit Rail Control Center, and officers on the ground are dispatched if anyone is spotted on a train.
The use of drones is part of the city's efforts to keep teens from hopping on top of subway trains. So far this year, at least five people have been killed subway surfing, a total that matches all subway surfing deaths from 2018 to 2022.
Although steps are being taken to deter subway surfing, police aren't using it to arrest teens. If a teen is caught surfing, a report is written up, and the offender's parents and school are informed about what happened.
"How many times have you interviewed moms and dads who say, my kid would never do something like that," said NYPD Assistant Commissioner Kaz Daughtry. "Guess what? The video doesn't lie."
