NCJ Number
116036
Journal
Police Chief Volume: 26 Issue: 3 Dated: (March 1989) Pages: 31-37
Date Published
1989
Length
7 pages
Annotation
A chief from the New York City Police Department describes its preparations for the 4-day celebration of the 100th birthday of the Statue of Liberty, with particular attention to identifying and devising responses to potential terrorist threats.
Abstract
Planning activities, which began a year before the event, included speculating about which terrorist groups would try to exploit the occasion by committing acts of violence. Other pre-event initiatives described in the article include meetings with more than 60 law enforcement agencies, the military, utilities, and other involved groups as well as steps taken by the police to acquire specialized vehicles and communications equipment. Also discussed are staffing and equipping the Command and Control Center, gathering and disseminating intelligence about criminal and terrorist activity, and handling opposition to the Navy's decision to move the battleship Iowa to New York's harbor. The planning group concluded, correctly, that there would be no terrorist attacks. Compelling reasons that supported this conclusion are outlined. Regardless, the police still took every precaution against terrorists by identifying potential targets, making appropriate security arrangements, sealing shoreline hiding places, and staging a command post exercise one week before the event.