NYPD Reponds to Thanksgiving Parade Threat

NYPD Reponds to Thanksgiving Parade Threat

The New York Police Department will be boosting security efforts on Thanksgiving morning this year after a recent edition of a magazine published by the Islamic State called Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade an “excellent target.”

The magazine, Rumiyah, was published on Nov. 11 and focused vehicular attacks and specifically highlighted the parade, which runs over 2 miles through Manhattan. The article encouraged readers to plot attacks in the same way Mohamad Lahouaiej-Bouhel, an ISIS-inspired attacker, drove through a crowd on Bastille Day in Nice, France.

The NYPD Deputy Commissioner for Intelligence, John Miller, said that the department is keeping an eye on businesses that rent or sell large trucks that could be capable of mass causalities. They are reaching out to the businesses to offer guidance on how to identify and report potential truck renters who could be interested in doing harm.

In addition, the NYPD will deploy about the same amount of police officers that it did last year, roughly 1,300, many of whom are plain clothes, positioned among spectators.

Miller also said the route will have police vehicles stationed in large groups, called blocker cars, that separate the floats, balloons, bands and other elements of the parade from spectators. This process also helps to shield the elements of the parade from harm’s way.

They treat the parade in a similar manner that they would the Presidential motorcade.

Police will also have many explosive detection and radiation devices deployed, among many other assets.

Miller says the bottom line is: “Go to the parade. Take your family, I always take mine."

Featured

  • From Surveillance to Intelligence

    Years ago, it would have been significantly more expensive to run an analytic like that — requiring a custom-built solution with burdensome infrastructure demands — but modern edge devices have made it accessible to everyone. It also saves time, which is a critical factor if a missing child is involved. Video compression technology has played a critical role as well. Over the years, significant advancements have been made in video coding standards — including H.263, MPEG formats, and H.264—alongside compression optimization technologies developed by IP video manufacturers to improve efficiency without sacrificing quality. The open-source AV1 codec developed by the Alliance for Open Media—a consortium including Google, Netflix, Microsoft, Amazon and others — is already the preferred decoder for cloud-based applications, and is quickly becoming the standard for video compression of all types. Read Now

  • Cost: Reactive vs. Proactive Security

    Security breaches often happen despite the availability of tools to prevent them. To combat this problem, the industry is shifting from reactive correction to proactive protection. This article will examine why so many security leaders have realized they must “lead before the breach” – not after. Read Now

  • Achieving Clear Audio

    In today’s ever-changing world of security and risk management, effective communication via an intercom and door entry communication system is a critical communication tool to keep a facility’s staff, visitors and vendors safe. Read Now

  • Beyond Apps: Access Control for Today’s Residents

    The modern resident lives in an app-saturated world. From banking to grocery delivery, fitness tracking to ridesharing, nearly every service demands another download. But when it comes to accessing the place you live, most people do not want to clutter their phone with yet another app, especially if its only purpose is to open a door. Read Now

  • Survey: 48 Percent of Worshippers Feel Less Safe Attending In-Person Services

    Almost half (48%) of those who attend religious services say they feel less safe attending in-person due to rising acts of violence at places of worship. In fact, 39% report these safety concerns have led them to change how often they attend in-person services, according to new research from Verkada conducted online by The Harris Poll among 1,123 U.S. adults who attend a religious service or event at least once a month. Read Now

New Products

  • AC Nio

    AC Nio

    Aiphone, a leading international manufacturer of intercom, access control, and emergency communication products, has introduced the AC Nio, its access control management software, an important addition to its new line of access control solutions.

  • FEP GameChanger

    FEP GameChanger

    Paige Datacom Solutions Introduces Important and Innovative Cabling Products GameChanger Cable, a proven and patented solution that significantly exceeds the reach of traditional category cable will now have a FEP/FEP construction.

  • Luma x20

    Luma x20

    Snap One has announced its popular Luma x20 family of surveillance products now offers even greater security and privacy for home and business owners across the globe by giving them full control over integrators’ system access to view live and recorded video. According to Snap One Product Manager Derek Webb, the new “customer handoff” feature provides enhanced user control after initial installation, allowing the owners to have total privacy while also making it easy to reinstate integrator access when maintenance or assistance is required. This new feature is now available to all Luma x20 users globally. “The Luma x20 family of surveillance solutions provides excellent image and audio capture, and with the new customer handoff feature, it now offers absolute privacy for camera feeds and recordings,” Webb said. “With notifications and integrator access controlled through the powerful OvrC remote system management platform, it’s easy for integrators to give their clients full control of their footage and then to get temporary access from the client for any troubleshooting needs.”