- Title: NYC mayor, police detail NYE security preps
- Date: 29th December 2016
- Summary: NEW YORK, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES (DECEMBER 29, 2016) (REUTERS) ZOOM OUT FROM NEW YORK CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT TIMES SQUARE PRECINCT TO TIMES SQUARE WIDE OF NEW YORK CITY MAYOR BILL DE BLASIO, NEW YORK CITY POLICE COMMISSIONER JAMES O'NEILL AND CHIEF OF DEPARTMENT OF THE NEW YORK CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT CARLOS GOMEZ AT PODIUM (SOUNDBITE) (English) NEW YORK CITY MAYOR BILL DE BLASIO, SAYING: "New Year's Eve, we expect as per usual, over a million people. I'm not quite sure why a million people want to stand in the freezing cold for long, long periods of time but they do and we'll be ready for them." DE BLASIO, O'NEILL AND GOMEZ (SOUNDBITE) (English) NEW YORK CITY POLICE COMMISSIONER JAMES O'NEILL, SAYING: "At this time we have no direct concerns related to terrorism to Times Square specifically, or New Year's Eve in general. Our task is to provide secure viewing for everyone coming down to Times Square." DE BLASIO, O'NEILL AND GOMEZ (SOUNDBITE) (English) NEW YORK CITY POLICE COMMISSIONER JAMES O'NEILL, SAYING: "We're using 65 sand trucks and over 100 blocker vehicles, police vehicles." DE BLASIO, O'NEILL AND GOMEZ (SOUNDBITE) (English) NEW YORK CITY POLICE COMMISSIONER JAMES O'NEILL, SAYING: "We have a tremendous capacity of New York City Police Department to cover events so it's not going to have an additional impact that 5, 6 and 5 and I haven't heard from the president-elect yet so I don't think he's coming but that might change I guess." DE BLASIO, O'NEILL AND GOMEZ (SOUNDBITE) (English) NEW YORK CITY POLICE COMMISSIONER JAMES O'NEILL, SAYING: "Can we ensure that nothing will ever happen? It's an open city, it's an open society. The security plan we have in place for Times Square, there are multiple layers there as Chief Gomez explained. So if you're coming down to Times Square, rest assured that it will be a safe venue. The NYPD, along with our law enforcement partners will make sure we do our absolute best to keep people safe." WIDE OF GOMEZ AT PODIUM (SOUNDBITE) (English) CHIEF OF DEPARTMENT OF THE NEW YORK CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT CARLOS GOMEZ, SAYING: "We'll be employing the use of sanitation trucks. These are the heavy refuse collecting trucks, as well as sand trucks. And once again I'd like to thank Commissioner Kathryn Garcia and the members of the Department of Sanitation for their assistance. We will be utilizing 65 of these vehicles. They'll be placed in strategic locations around the perimeter of Times Square to keep our celebrants safe. In addition to those heavy vehicles we'll be employing over 100 blocker vehicles to also protect the celebrants. These are not as heavy. These are department vehicles, but it's double what we've used in the past and they certainly add another layer of security." GOMEZ (SOUNDBITE) (English) CHIEF OF DEPARTMENT OF THE NEW YORK CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT CARLOS GOMEZ, SAYING: "They'll use metal detectors to scan individuals entering the observation areas and pens. We will also deploy our full complement of explosive detecting K-9s, the dogs, both at the event and throughout our transit system. Throughout the day and well into the night the detail personnel will sweep hotels, theaters and parking garages for potential threats and suspicious packages." O'NEILL WISHING EVERYONE A HAPPY NEW YEAR VARIOUS OF NEW YORK CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT CARS VARIOUS EXTERIORS OF NEW YORK CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT TIMES SQUARE PRECINCT
- Embargoed: 13th January 2017 19:13
- Keywords: Bill de Blasio NYC mayor security NYE new years eve James O’Neil Times Square
- Location: NEW YORK, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES
- City: NEW YORK, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES
- Country: USA
- Topics: Crime/Law/Justice
- Reuters ID: LVA0015EXT2RR
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Authorities in New York City offered assurances on Thursday (December 29) that visitors from around the world will be able to ring in the New Year safely in the city and that they were not expecting President-elect Donald Trump to join the Times Square celebrations.
New York City Police Commissioner James O'Neill said he had not heard yet from Trump "so I don't think he is coming," but added that the long-time New York resident might change his mind.
"At this time, we have no direct concerns to terrorism to Times Square specifically or New Year's Eve in general," O'Neill added.
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said the city was expecting more than a million people and "we will be ready for them."
Chief of Department of the New York City Police Department Carlos Gomez said there will be multiple layers of security all over the city, with 65 sanitation trucks and over 100 blocker police vehicles to be placed around the Times Square perimeter to keep the New Year's Eve revelers safe. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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