New York City’s subway system is already home to more than 10,000 surveillance cameras across its 472 stations, with thousands more expected by the end of the year, according to the MTA.
Now, a newly passed state bill could help ensure they stay there.
The state Senate unanimously approved a measure this week that would legally require surveillance cameras in every New York City subway station, a step the MTA believes will bolster its authority to keep cameras in place despite concerns from civil liberties advocates.
The Assembly had already passed the measure, meaning it’s now up to Gov. Kathy Hochul to sign or veto it.
The bill, officially known as Sedrick’s Law, is named after Sedrick Simon, a 36-year-old man who was struck and killed by a Q train at the Newkirk Avenue station in Brooklyn in late 2019. The incident was not captured on camera and questions remain about the circumstances of Simon’s death, including whether he fell or was pushed. The need for reliable surveillance in subways surfaced this year following two high-profile shootings within the system.
“New Yorkers deserve greater peace of mind in their daily commutes,” Assemblymember Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn, the Brooklyn Democrat and primary bill sponsor, said during the Assembly vote last month. “In 2022, we shouldn’t have to question if there are cameras at every stop.”
Specifically, the bill says the MTA “shall install and reasonably maintain proper operation of surveillance cameras at all subway stations.” It makes clear the authority can place the cameras anywhere in the station, particularly in areas “frequented by passengers and all train platforms.”
The MTA says it is already in compliance with the legislation, having hit the milestone of at least one camera in all 472 stations last year. It does not have cameras on every platform, but the bill does not appear to require that; it says the MTA “may” install the cameras there.
But that doesn’t mean the bill is moot. By placing the measure into law, it would support the MTA’s legal authority to maintain the cameras. In the past, the New York Civil Liberties Union has raised concerns about the breadth of the rapidly expanding camera system, of which 5,100 cameras feed live to the the NYPD and the NYC Transit security command center.
“We appreciate the Assembly’s support for the MTA’s ongoing camera security program that already has installed cameras in all 472 subway stations and is scheduled to add thousands more later this year alone,” MTA spokesperson Tim Minton said in a statement following the Assembly’s vote last month. “Adding cameras throughout the system will enhance coverage already providing material support for investigating crimes and catching those responsible.”
In a statement, Daniel Schwarz of the NYCLU said New Yorkers should “never just accept that we must live in a sweeping surveillance state to be safe.” He said “real public safety” comes from “investing in our communities, not from omnipresent government surveillance.”
“The MTA has been less than forthcoming in providing crucial information about its camera systems and passenger ID technology,” he added. “At the very least New Yorkers should be presented with clear information about the tools in use and the policies under which they operate.”
Hochul, meanwhile, has not said whether she intends to sign or veto the bill. A spokesperson for the governor said she would review the legislation.
