AGENCY TESTIMONY
Intervention strategies for juvenile subway surfers
0:32:41
·
90 sec
Chief Gulotta outlines the NYPD's approach to intervening with juvenile subway surfers, emphasizing prevention over punishment.
- States that the goal is to create meaningful interventions that provide off-ramps from dangerous behavior
- Describes the use of drone footage to show parents their children's actions
- Emphasizes the importance of parental involvement in preventing subway surfing
- Mentions the creation of multilingual informational flyers for parents and guardians
Joseph Gulotta
0:32:41
It is creating a meaning meaningful intervention that provides off ramps away from the deadly behavior.
0:32:48
We encounter those who think subway surfing is a game and who view the subway system as a thrill seeking playground.
0:32:54
NYPD officers who have responded to the scenes of a victim of a subway surfing know all too well the consequences and how life altering this activity can be.
0:33:03
Sadly, there are no second chances for some of these victims.
0:33:07
The only thing that waits, a repeat subway surfer, is potential disfigurement, tragedy, and death.
0:33:14
While the drone footage offers tremendous value when given to family court, the real value lies in the ability to show parents what their kids were doing, because parental buy in is the key.
0:33:24
We can have this discussion every day inside the station house, but this conversation needs to happen at the dinner table.
0:33:30
After all, there is no better part in the campaign against subway surfing than an involved, informed, concerned parent or guardian.
0:33:37
Our officers have encountered parents who insist their child will never would never subway surf, and they are shocked and horrified when they see the footage of their loved one on top of a moving train car.
0:33:47
We understand this is an emotional moment, and it may be difficult to process this information, including how to spot signs of of surfing in the future and find healthier activities for their child.
0:33:58
We've created an informational flyer available in multiple languages that includes this information, and it's handed to our parents and guardians of every juvenile subway surfer that we encounter.
0:34:08
We are also constantly looking for new ways to collaborate with our partners.
