Many former members of the NYPD have connections with Evolv. Adams, Banks, and a former Evolv account executive all started out as police officers together. D’Orazio, a former Evolv sales manager, had a reporting line that included Banks, who was a deputy chief at the time. Despite this, Banks denies meeting D’Orazio in his Evolv capacity.
Evolv CEO George has used the company’s ties to the NYPD to market their technology, boasting about their sales team’s former police officers. David Cohen, a former NYPD deputy commissioner, serves on Evolv’s Security Advisory Board.
The Mayor’s Office clarified that they are not committed to using Evolv long-term, only exploring it for a 90-day period. However, experts believe using Evolv scanners in subway stations may be ineffective and potentially intrusive, aligning with Adams’ pro-police agenda.
Additionally, deploying Evolv technology would require monitoring at every subway entrance, which could be unmanageable. The draft policy surrounding weapons-detection technology in the subway still heavily relies on police officers.
Despite being touted for school use, Evolv scanners have failed to consistently detect weapons. One school principal expressed frustration at having to restrict certain supplies due to mistaken scanner readings.
In conclusion, the connections between Evolv and the NYPD raise questions about the effectiveness and implications of utilizing their technology in various settings.
