Stepping into a new era of safety in the city. That’s what Mayor Adams hopes to achieve with new weapon-detection technology being tested, outside of City Hall.

“We are going after guns and that is what those devices are,” Adams said.

This device is part of a week-long pilot program. The company, Evolv, says it uses advanced sensors and artificial intelligence to detect weapons, but that it's not a metal detector, so presumably there would be fewer false alarms.

What You Need To Know

  • The machines are part of a weeklong pilot program

  • City Hall says the trial will be cost less to taxpayers

  • Mayor Adams says the city will keep testing new safety technology

It’s already been used at city performance venues and museums and those we spoke with who walked through it at City Hall seemed pleased.

“I think it's the right thing to do to keep all of us safe.” Fedir Usmanov said, Coney Island resident. 

“Faster than the airport security. It was great,” Mary Ellen Weilagesaid said, Upper East Side resident.

Adams has said he wants to use this sort of technology in highly trafficked areas like the subway system while the city deals with a rise in gun violence.

According to police shooting incidents in the subways has gone up 400% in the last two years.

"I take the subway every single day and I feel like that would deter any violence that's happening,” Weilage said.

"I look for technology to keep people safe because that's my obligation and so we're going to look at this if it's great, and we're going to bring in other technology and try it. We're using technology to keep New Yorkers safe,” Adams said.

Evolv boasts that its tech will work in fast paced environments — screening up to 60 people per minute — that's one person each second.

"Guests never break stride as they walk through the touchless system and there is no need for them to open their bags," a video from Evolv said.

In the past weapons detection systems have been criticized as invasive and militaristic and civil liberties advocates worry about facial recognition software that Evolv's video indicates could be added.

When asked about the program the mayor says the city will be testing multiple options.

The city says that this trial period will be costless to taxpayers but when asked about how much the program would cost if implemented, City Hall says it is not "jumping to predictions at this point."