“Besides the snipers, some 1,500 police officers will be on the ground, and mobile response teams will be in place to react quickly should an incident occur.”
Outside of New York, Las Vegas might just have the biggest New Year’s Eve celebration in the United States. Thousands upon thousands of party-goers are expected to hit the Strip, turning Las Vegas’ famed casino district into a de-facto block party. Following the deadliest mass shooting in United States history, there will be some new “guests” to the party…snipers.
Las Vegas has long used spotters on rooftops to ensure safety and security. However, this year the spotters will be joined by specially trained snipers. Besides the snipers, some 1,500 police officers will be on the ground, and mobile response teams will be in place to react quickly should an incident occur. The FBI will also be present.
Nobody puts on a New Year’s Eve show like Las Vegas, and never will it be as safe as it will be this year. The safety measures in place are impressive. – Clark County Commission Chairman Steve Sisolak
The National Guard will also have 300 some troops present, doubling their presence from previous years. National Guard troops will be stationed along the Strip and other major locations. The National Guard is increasingly being relied upon to provide security for major events.
Concrete blocks, 800 of them, are expected to be erected around the city to protect party-goers from errant vehicles. In Europe, where guns are tightly controlled in most countries, terrorists have turned to vehicles as the weapon of choice. Unfortunately, terrorists have been able to rack up massive body counts with vehicles.
Clark County Sheriff Joseph Lombardo has emphasized that there are no known threats and that measures are precautionary.
All of the extra security will be needed. Hundreds of thousands of people will be in Vegas celebrating the New Year. Bruno Mars, Maroon 5, Britney Spears, and others will be putting on live performances.
New York City Expected to Have “Unprecedented” Security
Outside of Vegas, New York City will have “unprecedented” security for the Big Apple’s celebration. National Guard troops, police officers, SWAT, and rapid response units are expected to be on hand.
Each year, 2 million or more people pack into Times Square and surrounding areas to usher in the New Year. A million or more will be out-of-towners. Unfortunately, such huge numbers could attract terrorists looking to inspire fear and cause mass havoc.
