By Anthony M. DeStefano – NY Post
The NYPD will provide a significant police presence around synagogues and other sites during the upcoming High Holy Days next month, police officials said on Wednesday.
NYPD Commissioner James O’Neill and Chief of Department Carlos Gomez spoke at a special briefing for Jewish community leaders and clergy at police headquarters in advance of the High Holy Days, which commence at sundown on Oct. 2 with Rosh Hashana and run for 10 days.
O’Neill said there would be significant police activity around Jewish houses of worship and other institutions, and referenced the Saturday bomb explosion in Manhattan’s Chelsea neighborhood, which injured 31 people.
“It is the High Holy Days coming right on the heels of Saturday night’s incident; I think it was important we held the briefing today,“ O’Neill told reporters later.
Gomez said the department was continuing to deploy more officers and canine patrols in the subway system and the train stations.
The briefing was the first time O’Neill has spoken with a large community group since he took over as commissioner from William Bratton on Sept. 16.
O’Neill recounted the events of Saturday night when the bomb went off in Chelsea and he visited the crime scene. Debris from the bomb was spread out for hundreds of feet from the explosion.
“I have been a cop for a long time and it was quite a sight to see. But what really made me feel good about this city and this department was the response to that incident,” O’Neill said. “This is something cops do, this is why they become police officers.”
