The NYPD’s seen–and Invisible–Plans for July 4th safety

the last thing the NYPD wants to do is panic people as they collect to celebrate July 4th. despite the fact that they are going to be increasing their safety presence considerably at July 4th celebrations this year within the form of rooftop snipers and radiation detectors, which is best the tip of the iceberg.

according to Capital new york’s Azi Paybarah, the NYPD is deploying their most extensive counterterrorism presence so far for the annual Macy’s Fourth of July Fireworks show. this will likely embody counterterrorism officers on site with radiation detectors, radiation detection boats situated close to firework launch web sites, aerial surveillance, and the aforementioned snipers—but NYPD analysts will probably be just as active scanning social media for speak by ISIS supporters and others.

“we will be scanning social media with our intelligence analysts. that is necessary as a result of some teams, specifically ISIS, have been very lively in social media,” deputy commissioner for intelligence and counterterrorism John Miller instructed reporters at a press conference. “this may be probably the most complicated counterterrorism overlay for this event, ever. this isn’t driven with the aid of any explicit experience or specific threat as much as it’s pushed by means of unfolding world events.”

despite the arrest of a terror suspect in New Jersey on Monday, Miller mentioned no particular threats had been made regarding both the Macy’s fireworks exhibit or in opposition to NY city—although the NYPD and FBI have general concerns about the potential of an IED assault on ny landmarks or towards defense force personnel.

In contemporary weeks, terror assaults have taken place in France, Kuwait, Tunisia, and Egypt. alternatively, the deadliest terror assault to happen within the U.S. in 2015 was once the mass shooting at a Charleston, South Carolina, church. The gunman in that attack, Dylann Roof, used to be prompted by using racism and white supremacist beliefs.