By COLlive reporter
The Office of Mayor Eric Adams and the NYPD hosted an online security briefing for the Jewish community on Saturday night in response to the attack on Israel by Iran.
The NYPD Chief of Department Jeffrey Maddrey spoke about the importance of heightened visibility and resource deployment to ensure the safety of sensitive locations and events within the community.
While there are currently no credible threats, vigilance remains a priority, Chief Maddrey emphasized. Extra security personnel, identifiable by light blue shirts, will be present at synagogues starting tomorrow morning at 8 AM.
The Chief of Transit Michel Kemper spoke about the increased security measures they will be taking at train stations and offered assistance regarding transit-related concerns.
Deputy Mayor of Communication Fabien Levy noted that while there are no credible threats in the community, he wants to make sure all residents feel safe so that they are able to continue their day-to-day life. He thanked the NYPD for everything they do every day to keep the city safe.
NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny assured that there are robust plans to address any potential crimes, and with additional coverage by adding a midnight captain that will be ready to handle any situation that comes up and coordination between law enforcement units.
Representing the police commissioner Raul Pintos spoke about his commitment to monitoring the situation closely and providing necessary resources, with the police commissioner available for further inquiries.
Commissioner Community Affairs Unit Fred Kreizman spoke about the collaborative efforts between the administration and the NYPD to ensure adequate deployment of necessary resources.
He noted that they will focus on safeguarding houses of worship and increasing patrol presence, particularly given the proximity to Passover, and the community can rest assured of ongoing support and protection.
Deputy Chief Richie Taylor of the NYPD said that additional meetings will be held with Shmira, Shomrim and Hatzalah to ensure safety of residents.
Earlier in the evening, Mayor Eric Adams tonight released the following statement after Iran launched a drone attack against the State of Israel:
“New York City unequivocally stands with the State of Israel in the face of this direct attack and escalation by Iran. I’ve been briefed on the situation unfolding abroad and we pray for the safety of all in the region.
“As mayor of the largest Jewish population in the world outside of Israel, the significance of this attack for Jewish New Yorkers — many of whom have family in Israel right now — is not lost on me, especially less than 10 days before Passover begins.
“While there is no direct or imminent threat to New York City at this time, we have directed the NYPD to deploy additional resources to Jewish communities and houses of worship citywide out of abundance of caution to ensure that our communities have the resources they need to feel safe.
“Our administration has also begun outreach to both Jewish leaders and elected officials across the five boroughs to keep them apprised of the situation.
“Our intelligence and counterterrorism teams will continue to closely monitor the situation.”
These meetings are very nice. The question is what happens to the perpetrator after he commits the crime? Are they enforcing the law?
The police enforce the law. It’s the elected district attorneys who decide whether to incarcerate and for how long. Don’t bite the hand that protects you.