Snipers on the Roofs

1 Pages·2021·0.08 MB·English

New York to Post Snipers on Roofs for New Year's
Security

Monday, December 30, 2002

NEW YORK — Police sealed manholes, removed mailboxes and outlined plans
Monday to post snipers on roofs during the big New Year's Eve celebration in
Times Square.

City officials have not received any specific threats
against the New Year's Eve celebration, but thought it
was "better to be safe than sorry," Mayor Michael
Bloomberg said. Last year, an estimated half-million
people crowded into Times Square.

Photographs of several foreign-born men sought by the
FBI for questioning about possible terrorist connections
were distributed to officers citywide, Police
Commissioner Ray Kelly said. They are believed to
have entered the United States from Canada.

At a separate news conference, Gov. George Pataki
said he had spoken with Homeland Security director
Tom Ridge several times in recent days and "there are
no specific threats to New York that I have been
advised of."

For the celebration, Kelly said a couple thousand
officers will be on duty, similar to last year. Police plan
to deploy undercover officers throughout the crowd and
put snipers on roofs.

Bomb squads will sweep Times Square, and
participants will be searched as they enter the area.
Large bags will be prohibited.

Pilots will be banned from flying lower than 2,000 feet
over the area.

The mayor will be joined by actor Christopher Reeve
and his wife, Dana, in leading the countdown for the
dropping of a 6-foot crystal ball at midnight.

The fireworks display that was canceled last year after
the terrorist attacks will resume for this year's million-
dollar celebration.

Forecasters predicted rain to begin just as the party
gets under way, with temperatures in the low 40s.