New York City is being X-rayed by unmarked military grade vehicles

The New York Police Department has been ordered to release information on health risks associated with X-ray vans used to detect explosives, a court of appeal ruled Wednesday. 

However, America’s largest police force will not have to reveal its surveillance reports.

Investigative reporting non-profit Propublica brought about the case four years ago.

The appeals court overturned a previous decision which would have forced the NYPD to reveal details on where the vans had been used along with their usage policies.

The Z Backscatter X-ray vans are military-grade surveillance equipment first used in Afghanistan to detect explosives.

The vans are unmarked and can detect bombs by emitting X-rays to see inside vehicles and buildings. They can also detect people, drugs, and other materials.

Soldiers in Iraq called the vans “white devils” due to their unassuming appearance.

Propublica reported in 2015 that the vans pose an increased risk of cancer linked to the X-ray’s ionizing radiation, which can mutate DNA.

The news organization’s initial request was part of an investigation into the use of security equipment that exposes people to the deadly waves.

The NYPD refused to release the information until a judge ordered them to do so in December 2014.

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