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Mayors

NYPD's Drone Program Saves 200 Lives, Cites subway Surfing as a Major Threat

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

The NYPD's targeted drone and enforcement operations have saved 200 lives by identifying and intervening in subway surfing incidents, a trend that has claimed lives and put young New Yorkers at risk. This milestone marks a significant step forward in the city's strategy to prevent fatalities by combining technology, enhanced transit enforcement, social media monitoring, and targeted youth outreach. Mayor Eric Adams and NYPD Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch announced the milestone, highlighting the importance of using drones to make rescues and prevent tragedies.

Key Takeaways:

  • The NYPD's drone program has made 200 rescues, mostly of teens, since late 2023.
  • The program has already safely rescued subway surfers from trains 52 times this year alone.
  • The youngest individual on record to be removed from a train for subway surfing was just nine years old.
  • 63 individuals have been identified as repeat subway surfer offenders, including 18 reoffenders this year alone.
  • The majority of subway surfing incidents occur along specific routes, with 44 percent of this year's removals occurring on the 7-train line.
  • The NYPD continues to conduct home visits for individuals caught subway surfing, engaging directly with their families to explain the life-threatening dangers involved.
  • The city has launched a comprehensive public information campaign, "Subway Surfing Kills - Ride Inside, Stay Alive," created by New York City teenagers to deter this behavior among young people.
  • The campaign includes public service announcements in stations, digital signage across stations, student-created graphics and animations, posters and banners, and social media posts across platforms.
  • The NYPD's Drone as First Responder (DFR) program, launched in November 2024, deploys drones in response to 911 calls and emergency incidents, providing real-time aerial footage and critical situational awareness to officers on the ground.
  • Drones are used for a wide range of public safety operations, including recreating floor plans, tracking fleeing crime suspects, and delivering vital first-aid equipment.

Statistics:

  • 200 lives saved through the NYPD's drone program.
  • 52 rescues made this year alone.
  • 63 individuals identified as repeat subway surfer offenders, including 18 reoffenders this year alone.
  • 44 percent of this year's removals occurring on the 7-train line.
  • 125 drone deployments resulting in individuals being safely removed from moving trains this year alone.
  • 340 drone operations conducted across the subway system since the program's launch.

Sources:

  • New York City Mayor Eric Adams and New York City Police Department (NYPD) Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch
  • NYPD
  • New York City Public Schools
  • New York City Department of Youth and Community Development
  • Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA)
  • Queens Borough President Donovan Richards Jr.
  • Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz
  • New York City Councilmember Francisco Moya
  • MTA Chief Customer Officer Shanifah Rieara

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