As with any day at any place in America, law enforcement officers rely on unified efforts to thwart criminals. That means working with other public safety entities as well as the citizenry at-large. With an enormous jurisdiction and inherent responsibilities, the NYPD embraces alliances to ensure law and order.
Unfortunately, our freedoms sometimes enable nefarious individuals to slip through cracks, despite law enforcement due diligence. Although NYPD police personnel are out and about with eyes and ears dialed-in to whatever doesn’t look right, cops can always use the aid of citizens to raise the bar on crime prevention. The NYPD mantra is “See something, say something.”
As in years past, the threat of terrorist attacks at large venues such as Times Square where scores of people are milling about among festive overtones, the NYPD rolls out its latest strategies to kick it up a notch…or ten.
This year the NYPD is implementing an outer perimeter “to ensure those waiting to enter screening areas will be protected from moving vehicles.”
Responding to the spate of suicide bombers careening large vehicles into crowds of vulnerable citizens, this year the NYPD is implementing an outer perimeter “to ensure those waiting to enter screening areas will be protected from moving vehicles.” NYPD’s Chief of Counter-terrorism Bureau, James Waters delineated some of the NYPD precautionary measures being undertaken on behalf of revelers, boasting the “safest place in the world during New Year’s Eve, New York City’s Times Square,” is a “shared responsibility.”
The NYPD is increasing security in Times Square for the New Year’s Eve ball dropping ceremony https://t.co/1TSmdmjBQM pic.twitter.com/RnLN9lBRjr
— New York Daily News (@NYDailyNews) December 29, 2017
Albeit not always scientifically, NYPD tacticians innovate and conjure up unique ways to preempt terrorists from getting close or through to the rich target areas. Last year’s feat was loading the NYC Sanitation Department’s fleet of garbage trucks with sand. Each biggie-size sandbag placed at crosswalks, so as to block streets and impede heavily-speeding lunatic suicide bombers’ vehicles, was an effective instrument.
Similarly, “NYPD”-marked concrete stanchions will be crane-lifted and placed upon streets to block any vehicular traffic, namely jihadi maniacs aiming to mow down hordes of pedestrians.
This year, the NYPD is also imposing posts (cover photo above) to specifically monitor aerial vantage points aka sniper attacks reminiscent of the recent Las Vegas Route 91 rampage. Bolstering that from further up are the NYPD aviation unit’s helicopters overlooking the scene from higher altitudes. Times Square is a super-busy labyrinth of activity and pizzazz, rife with ample target elements to make a jihadi terror whore mesmerized by opportunity.
Times Square is a super-busy labyrinth of activity and pizzazz, rife with ample target elements to make a jihadi terror whore mesmerized by opportunity.
(Photo Credit: Facebook/New York Lovers)
Pertinent to intelligence-monitoring, the NYPD has its own cadre of analysts focused on any blips indicative of terror chatter and encrypted networking. Supplementing the NYPD are FBI counter-terrorism analysts monitoring myriad networks. “Preparation for events such as this is an entirely cooperative effort,” explained FBI Assistant Director in Charge William Sweeney.
“No one federal, state, or local agency can do it alone,” FBI Assistant Director Sweeney stated in a NYPD News bulletin. “At the FBI, our personnel are working behind the scenes to monitor and investigate any threat information we receive. As always, we continue to rely on an engaged public to remain aware of their surroundings and report any suspicious activity to law enforcement.”
“As always, we continue to rely on an engaged public to remain aware of their surroundings and report any suspicious activity to law enforcement.” –FBI
Loosely mentioned, NYPD intelligence captured reports of ISIS figureheads encouraging sleeper cells to target and kill “intoxicated New Year’s Eve revelers.”
The NYPD array of deployments include radiological apparatus to detect harmful components, bomb-sniffing police canines, additional counter-snipers to monitor the many skyscrapers overlooking Times Square, vapor-wake dogs to detect thermal plumes trailing a person, and special groups of NYPD cops to scour and sweep the many hotels in the area (stemming from the Las Vegas Mandalay Bay hotel shooter’s rain-down of rifle-fire).
Furthering public safety alliances to ensure everyone’s welfare, medical emergency personnel from the FDNY will be literally partnering with NYPD cops at all points in and around Times Square.
As freezing temperatures are expected during the New Year’s Eve shindig, authorities recommend attendees bundle-up well. That is great advice that ought to be heeded. However, from a cop’s perspective, that also shrouds the phantoms in the crowd who may overcome stringent screening processes to get closer to the throngs of people who seek festivities without calamities.
Blue Blood
As the largest municipal police department in the world, the NYPD maintains a robust roster of blue-blooded cops to carry-out its mission. On December 28, 2017 the latest batch of police officers graduated the NYPD Police Academy. Considered small compared to recent academy classes nearing 900 police recruits, 480 new cops joined the cadre of 36,000 law enforcement officers patrolling the heavily populated five boroughs comprising New York City.
In typical NYPD pride, police administration camped an antiquated NYC squad car (restored with its original “bubble gum machine” domed emergency light) alongside the latest Chevy Impala model (albeit decorated with NYPD’s classical dark green, black, and white coloration and a contemporary light bar).
480 police academy graduates walked across the Beacon Theatre stage on Dec. 28, 2017, many of whom will commence their careers working the New Year’s Eve celebration at Times Square. (Credit: Facebook/NYPD News)
The older design is the one I grew up seeing on the streets of Brooklyn, when I was an NYPD aspirant.
Incidentally, some of the 480 police academy graduates are already equipped and disciplined to effectively engage terror-crazed foes. The NYPD News shared that “thirty-eight of the graduates have already served our nation in various branches of the military.” From military to paramilitary, these nation-serving protectors derive from the world’s largest and finest fighting force and transcend to New York’s Finest coppers.
“There’s a reason people decide to become cops. It’s because you understand that cops are regular people who believe in the possibility of making this a safer city and a safer country. And you believe in the possibility of being part of something larger than yourself.”
NYC Police Commissioner James O’Neill addressed the 480 police academy graduates and coined it quite well when he said: “There’s a reason people decide to become cops. It’s because you understand that cops are regular people who believe in the possibility of making this a safer city and a safer country. And you believe in the possibility of being part of something larger than yourself.” It doesn’t get any larger than Times Square on New Year’s Eve, so the newest batch of police recruits are getting immediate, indelible experience. They’re not getting their feet wet as much as they are getting a deep-sea dive, and that is typical police culture in the Big Apple.
Via his Twitter account, the NYPD police commissioner colorized it this way for his newest cops: “On Sunday, New Year’s Eve, you’re going to have a front-row ticket to the greatest show on Earth. Well, maybe not front row – 6th or 8th Avenues, maybe. But you’ll hear the noise and know that everyone’s having a great time.”
I always heard that phraseology regarding how being a cop is viewed by cops: “The greatest show on Earth.” Indeed I found that to be an accurate assessment throughout my police career. Through unspeakable incidents, our species can either grow from sheer pain or let it swallow us whole. Survival gives way to poignant moments while in uniform, from which balance is attained.
For a cop to receive genuine gratitude from a person whose fright melted away by the sight of that uniform, badge, and police lights is a testament to oath…and for all that it represents. That is the context of the annual New Year’s Eve bash held in Times Square: Enabling throngs of folks to have a great time with the confidence that blue blood is coursing the streets and poised to grab terror by the gullet and choke it out until limp.
Commissioner O’Neill passed the torch to those 480 brand-new cops, boasting “Today, I can tell you that you’re beginning what I know to be the greatest and most rewarding job in the world.” And all NYPD police officers get the privilege of employing the latest technologies, the finest equipment, the most-applicable gadgetry, and the brotherhood/sisterhood of a 58,000-member family donning the same shoulder patch while pushing back evils.
(Photo Credit: Facebook/NYPD News)
Despite the newly-sworn 480 recruits added to the contingent of NYPD cops, the most effective, robust law enforcement agency is the one whose constituents actually participate in the self-preservation mission. Thus the NYPD is calling upon Times Square attendees to exercise the credo “See something, say something.”
An agency with cops from every culture imaginable, equipped to speak every language known to humankind, in a melting-pot metropolis known in every inch of the globe…can not do it alone. The NYPD can not lose with citizens lending ears and glancing eyes to assure a safe ushering-in of 2018.
As the NYPD banner claims: “Crossroads of the World will be the Most Secure Place, in the Safest City in America” while the 2018 ball drops.
“This is going to be one of the most well-policed, best-protected events, at one of the safest venues in the entire world. And we’ll ensure that New York City has yet another safe and enjoyable New Year’s Eve celebration — as we do every year.” –NYPD Police Commissioner James P. O’Neill
“This is going to be one of the most well-policed, best-protected events, at one of the safest venues in the entire world. And we’ll ensure that New York City has yet another safe and enjoyable New Year’s Eve celebration — as we do every year,” said NYPD Commissioner James P. O’Neill in NYPD News. “But as I’ve said many times before, public safety remains a shared responsibility. It requires our collective commitment. If you see something suspicious, alert a police officer, call 911 or report it by calling 888-NYC-SAFE.”
