NYC Announces Security Plans for UN General Assembly

NYPD and federal, state and local law enforcement agencies will partner to provide thousands of highly trained officers to ensure safety throughout the city during the event. The police presence will include both uniformed and plainclothes officers.

• By Jessica Davis
• Sep 24, 2018

The New York Police Department, Secret Service and FBI announced Thursday increased security plans in place for the 73^rd session of the United Nations General Assembly. During the General Assembly, which runs from Sept. 18 through Oct. 1, New York City will host about 200 dignitaries from around the globe.

NYPD and federal, state and local law enforcement agencies will partner to provide thousands of highly trained officers to ensure safety throughout the city during the event. The police presence will include both uniformed and plainclothes officers.

In addition to law enforcement presence, road safety is also a concern at sensitive locations. According to officials, 48 sand trucks from the Department of Sanitation will be deployed with hundreds of blocker vehicles, 230 pieces of concrete block, 96 jersey barriers and 7 surface-mounted delta vehicle barriers.

The Department of Transportation has designated weekdays from Monday, Sept. 24 through Monday, Oct. 1 as gridlock alert days, encouraging alternative transportation such as biking and ride sharing. In addition, the NYPD has issued a detailed traffic advisory on street closures, which can be found here.

"Since the end of last year's United Nations General Assembly, we have been planning how to best-protect the various sites, and all of the people inside them, again this year, while also minimizing the impact on New Yorkers and the vehicular and pedestrian traffic outside," NYPD Commissioner James O'Neill said. "It is a balance we strike each year for this event. There are many ways we'll be keeping people safe. And there will be much the public will see, and much the public will not see. I am confident that we are going to again have one of the most well-policed, best-protected events in one of the safest cities in the entire world."