Mayor Adams' administration is highlighting the success of a drone program designed to spot subway surfers in New York City.
Subway surfing has been an increasing trend in the last few years in New York City with 16 deaths and many others injured, mostly teenagers since 2022. A new drone detection enforcement was put into place in late 2023 and that has helped police take 200 people down from the tops of moving subway trains. Norma Nazari lost her 15 year old son Zachary to subway surfing.
"That's 200 kids who were stopped before it was too late. 200 families who don't have to live with the grief I carry every day."
The drones have cameras that can zoom in to spot subway surfers. Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch and Mayor Eric Adams have been critical of social media companies for allowing subway surfing videos to go viral which they say are influencing others to try the dangerous act.