New York City Mayor Eric Adams released the newest addition of the New York Police Department: The “robocop.” The piece of technology, released early September 2023, will undergo a two-month trial period patrolling the Times Square subway station, allowing city officials to assess its effectiveness.
Its capabilities include recording video footage and access to communication with first responders and other personnel. While the robocop seems like a helpful additive to New York City, a security camera and phone service on wheels does not sufficiently replace a human police officer. The 400-pound robocop will essentially record crime for a police report. A real cop will stop crime as it happens.
Adams cites saving money as one of his essential goals. According to a New York Times article, the cost of “hiring” a robocop is equivalent to $9 per hour. “That is below minimum wage,” Adams said. “No bathroom breaks, no meal breaks.”
Mayor Adams has his priorities in disorder. According to a 2022 poll, fifteen percent of riders feel “very safe” in the morning on the subway, and only seven percent feel the same way at night. Even if the city has to cut its budget, cutting police presence in subway stations should not be an option, especially after a recent fare hike. If anything, we should increase police presence to ensure the safety of riders.
The robocop is not offering security we don’t already have. We have phones to call 911 at any time. In case riders don’t have access to a cell phone, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) also has customer assistance stations on subway platforms and in many subway cars that allow riders to contact MTA personnel for general information and first responders in case of an emergency.
In addition, there is already an initiative to place security cameras in all subway stations and inside subway cars. According to New York’s Governor’s Office, the MTA received $2 million to complete the project.
It’s also important to understand the urgency of emergencies in the subway. If officers are not already present in stations, that would result in longer response times to calls.
New York’s transportation system is critical to its livelihood. If Adams is trying to save money instead of earning back the trust of riders then we have a problem.
