Are NYC Cops Really Using Sniffies for Sting Operations? Here’s What You Need to Know
If you thought we left entrapment policing back in the 90s, think again. Because apparently, in 2025, cops are on hookup apps. Yes, you read that right: multiple reports suggest that Amtrak police in New York City are allegedly using Sniffies to lure men into sting operations—and then arresting them in Penn Station bathrooms.
You can’t make this up.
What’s Actually Happening?
Civil rights lawyer Jared Trujillo recently sounded the alarm: Amtrak police have allegedly been creating profiles on Sniffies (the not-so-subtle cruising app), initiating conversations with men, and then inviting them to meet in Penn Station restrooms. Once there, men are reportedly being arrested on charges of “public lewdness.”
And here’s the kicker: some of those arrested weren’t doing anything remotely “lewd.” One man described simply using a urinal on his way to catch a train before being detained, insulted, and charged—only to have the case dismissed later.
That’s not policing. That’s harassment with a badge.
The Numbers Don’t Lie
Since June 2025, Penn Station has seen a sharp rise in “public lewdness” arrests compared to earlier in the year. According to reporting by Them, dozens of people—most of them gay men—have been caught up in these sweeps.
When you look at the timeline, it’s hard not to connect the dots: Sniffies use goes up, arrests go up, and suddenly Amtrak police are a little too interested in bathroom traffic.
Why This Matters (Beyond the Obvious)
This isn’t just about Sniffies. It’s about civil rights and equal protection under the law.
- Entrapment: If police are creating fake profiles, starting conversations, and baiting people into showing up, that’s the textbook definition.
- Discriminatory enforcement: Public lewdness laws rarely get enforced against straight couples making out in public. But historically, they’ve been a blunt weapon used against queer men.
- The chilling effect: LGBTQ+ people already navigate public life with a higher risk of harassment. Now they have to wonder if their hookup app is basically a cop honeypot.
The fact that these cases often get dropped later only adds insult to injury. The damage is already done—the arrest, the public record, the humiliation.
What You Won’t Hear From Authorities
Notice what’s missing? A straight answer.
Neither Amtrak Police, NYPD, nor Port Authority cops have publicly admitted—or denied—that they’re using Sniffies in this way. Which is… convenient. Because “we’re catfishing men on hookup apps and ruining lives for bathroom urination” isn’t exactly a PR win.
Until there’s an official paper trail, the best we’ve got is consistent reporting, credible lawyers speaking up, and firsthand accounts from people who got caught in the dragnet.
How to Protect Yourself If You’re in NYC
Because let’s be real: even if you’re doing nothing wrong, you don’t want to be in the middle of one of these stings. Here’s what you can do:
- Be suspicious of bathroom meetups—especially if someone pushes for Penn Station.
- Keep your chats vague and avoid saying anything that could be twisted into “intent.”
- Know your rights:
- You don’t have to answer questions without a lawyer.
- Don’t consent to searches of your phone or person without a warrant.
- You can (and should) say, “I want to speak to an attorney.”
- Document everything. If something feels off, screenshot your chats. If you’re detained, note badge numbers and names.
- Reach out to LGBTQ+ legal aid organizations—they’re already mobilizing around this issue.
The Bigger Picture
If you strip away the bathroom setting and the “public lewdness” charge, this is the same tired playbook: target a marginalized group, scare them into silence, and hope nobody makes enough noise to call it out.
But it’s 2025. People are making noise. Trujillo and others are raising the alarm. Queer media is reporting on it. And the rest of us? We need to pay attention, because once police normalize using apps as bait, this doesn’t stay contained to one community.
So yeah. If you’re in NYC and you’re on Sniffies, be careful. And if you’re not? Maybe still be angry that law enforcement is wasting time fishing in bathrooms while real crimes go unsolved.
Written by Will Walker | @WNWalker
Hashtags
#nyc police sting operations, #sniffies app safety, #lgbtq civil rights nyc, #amtrak police entrapment, #public lewdness arrests nyc, #queer community safety, #lgbtq discrimination cases, #digital entrapment risks, #civil rights lawyer jared trujillo, #nyc hookup app warnings, #lgbtq legal protections nyc, #police misconduct in new york, #gay men targeted by police, #sniffies entrapment concerns, #protect queer rights