Exclusive: NYPD cracks down on subway surfing
News 12 spoke exclusively with Joseph Gulotta, chief of transit for the NYPD, about efforts to combat the dangerous trend of subway surfing.
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News 12 spoke exclusively with Joseph Gulotta, chief of transit for the NYPD, about efforts to combat the dangerous trend of subway surfing.
Gulotta told News 12 it's a deadly activity common among school-aged children, with the youngest person saved this year being 10-years-old.
"A lot of it is going to be in the morning before school and then at dismissal time," Gulotta said
NYPD data shows so far this year, 155 people were saved, 11 people were injured, and five of them died as a result of subway surfing.
The transit bureau has a command center where there are cops monitoring cameras throughout the transit system 24/7. As soon as a call comes in, cops can track the exact train car where an incident is occurring and coordinate with patrols on the ground.
The chief says they rely on 311 and 911 calls and keep an eye on subway lines with elevated platforms. They also conduct daily drone patrols.
"These injuries are life changing, life altering if you do survive. And the key word is if you do survive, your life is forever altered. Your family's life is forever altered," Gulotta said.
The NYPD says they are focusing on home and school visits, adding barriers between train cars, and continuing campaigns like the well-known 'ride inside and stay alive' campaign.
