NYPD using drone technology to crack down on dangerous subway surfing, officials say

Subway surfing, the deadly daredevil activity likened to Russian roulette is now getting the concerted focus of the NYPD through drone technology, officials disclosed Monday.

With a Queens subway yard in Flushing Meadows Park as a backdrop, New York City Mayor Eric Adams, NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch and others revealed drones have so far this year interrupted 200 subway surfing riders — youths who try riding on top of moving subway trains — and potentially saved those lives.

Tisch said drone flights, often triggered by 911 calls of surfing activity, led to 343 drone deployments in the past two years with 60% spotting surfing incident. Once surfing is spotted by drones, transit workers act to remove the reckless riders.

"It is Russian roulette on rails and too many kids are playing it without understanding the stakes," Tisch said. “But we know the consequences and we are leveraging modern technology to act before it is too late."

Since 2022, there have been 16 deaths attributed to subway surfing, with the youngest victim being 11 years old, Tisch said, adding that another 22 people suffered severe injures such as lost limbs or head trauma. Some offenders have been caught surfing 13 times.

While the drone initiative focuses on elevated subway lines with the most incidents, Tisch and Adams noted officials are also trying a multipronged approach, visiting homes of surfing youths, going into schools to warn children of the grave risks, as well as public service announcements in the transit system.

But Tisch said all those efforts are being undermined by social media video postings showing subway surfing which she said exacerbate the problem.

"Social media platforms need to take this content down, not after its gone viral but before it can spread," said Tisch, who also criticized app stores which are used to transmit surfing incidents.

Manhattan mother Norma Nazario, fought back tears as she told of how her 15-year-old son Zachery died while subway surfing two years ago, which she said was stoked by social media postings.

"I miss my son every single day, “ Nazario said as she showed her son’s funeral card. “No parent should carry their child’s funeral card in their wallet."

Adams explained officials are finding that members of the public can be crucial in alerting law enforcement to surfing. He said, for example, the No. 7 line in Queens travels in its elevated portions past numerous dwellings where people can see surfing and hopefully call 911.

By Anthony M. DeStefano

tony.destefano@newsday.comtonynewsday

Anthony M. DeStefano has been a reporter for Newsday since 1986 and covers law enforcement, criminal justice and legal affairs from its New York City offices.