NYPD brass said Wednesday that they are beefing up security around New York City during the Jewish high holy days and the one-year anniversary of the Oct. 7 terrorist attacks in Israel and amid rising tensions in the Middle East.
Department leaders also issued a stern warning that it would not tolerate any violent protests coinciding with the attacks’ anniversary next week.
Top police brass stood alongside Mayor Eric Adams inside of the NYPD Joint Operation Center at 1 Police Plaza on Oct. 2, a room where cops watch the comings and goings of the Big Apple from thousands of security cameras.
However, those cameras alone are not enough with Rosh Hashanah starting at sundown Wednesday, and the one-year anniversary of Oct. 7 approaching. Adding to the uncertainty is the escalation of conflict in the Middle East, including Iran’s missile attack on Israel Tuesday, and Israel’s invasion of Lebanon to combat Hezbollah terrorists.
“We will have an omnipresence and a real, visible presence of uniform personnel. We’re deploying additional cameras to sensitive locations that will complement the 80,000 cameras in the NYPD Domain Awareness system, we will ensure a swift response to any act of violence and any call for service,” Mayor Adams said.
Police officials are deploying armed counterterrorism officers to locations that could be deemed targets for attack, such as synagogues. In addition to providing security from possible acts of terror, interim Police Commissioner Thomas Donlon also issued a stern warning to protesters who may look to commit violence on Oct. 7.
“Every individual has the right to freely express their religious beliefs without fear. This includes the right to peacefully protest but remember the NYPD will not tolerate violence, property damage, or anything that impedes emergency services to help people in need,” Donlon said. “To anyone who is worried about the next few weeks, remember: Nobody is better prepared for these situations than the NYPD.”
Hate crimes are also a concern for the NYPD. The city’s Jewish community has suffered the greatest amount of hate crimes in 2024, with antisemitism making up a whopping 50% of all bias crimes committed.
According to Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny, there have been 493 hate crimes so far this year compared to 381 incidents that took place the year prior; 275 of those crimes were perpetrated against the Jewish New Yorkers.
“In response to this, we’ve increased our staffing at the NYPD Hate Crimes Task Force, and that team has investigated and made arrests on over 300 incidents so far this year. We’re going to continue to work with our federal partners and our district attorney’s office,” Chief Kenny said.
Still, with the mayor facing a federal investigation and some high-ranking police officials also being probed, some fear that the administration will not be trusted with imperative and sensitive information from their federal partners.
Hizzoner dismissed this notion at Wednesday’s press conference.
“This organization is a professional organization, no matter what happens in the city and any particular time to any individuals, the operation continues,” Adams said. “All I can say to you, and every New Yorker, is we got this.”
