NYC, Vegas boost New Year's security

NEW YORK -- Police are promising a bigger security detail than ever before in Times Square for this year's New Year's Eve celebration, which will cap off a year that saw a number of deadly attacks, including a vehicle rampage at the very spot where revelers will ring in 2018.

In addition to its usual army of snipers, bag-inspecting officers and metal detectors, the New York Police Department this year is relying on help from a growing corps of "vapor wake" dogs, which are trained to sniff out trace amounts of explosive particles that trail behind someone carrying a bomb.

All 125 parking garages in the vicinity of Times Square will be emptied in advance of the celebration and sealed off, so no one has a chance to sneak in a car bomb, police said.

Detectives already have been assigned to all of the dozens of high-rise hotels in the area, with the aim of preventing the type of attack that happened in Las Vegas in October, when a gunman firing from a casino hotel killed dozens of people at an outdoor concert below. That city also was ramping up security ahead of New Year's Eve.

Police wouldn't discuss whether guests at area hotels would be screened in advance of the celebration, but Police Commissioner James O'Neill said officers already are working with hotel security.

"This is going to be one of the most well-policed, best-protected events at one of the safest venues in the entire world," O'Neill said.

The extra precautions follow two recent terrorist attacks in the city. A man detonated a bomb in the city's subway system on Dec. 11, injuring only himself. On Halloween, an Islamic State-inspired attacker drove a truck down a bicycle path, killing eight people before he wrecked his truck and was shot by police.

Times Square itself was targeted in May by a man, said by police to be high on drugs, who drove through crowds of pedestrians for more than three blocks, killing an 18-year-old tourist from Michigan. The speeding vehicle was eventually stopped by one of the squat metal barriers that have been installed around the square's pedestrian plazas.

Those attacks were reminders that New York City's security apparatus can only do so much, but city officials insisted they will be able to keep people safe on New Year's Eve.

"The fact is, they will absolutely be safe," said Mayor Bill de Blasio, a Democrat.

The Police Department doesn't reveal the strength of its security force for the event, but it gave some details about the operation at a news conference Thursday.

Officers will have help from roughly 1,000 security cameras installed in and around Times Square.

An area roughly 22 city blocks long and three long blocks wide will be sealed off from both vehicle and pedestrian traffic. Cement blocks, sand-filled garbage trucks and other vehicles will block the streets leading into the area.

Partygoers entering that secure zone will be screened at a dozen access points where they will encounter metal detectors, the vapor wake dogs and officers with portable radiation detectors. Large backpacks are not allowed. All small bags will be searched.

From there, people go through a second round of security screening when they enter spectator pens where they are essentially confined for the night. People who leave the pens aren't allowed to re-enter -- so no bathroom breaks.

Those who make it through will get to see live performances from Andy Grammer, Nick Jonas and Mariah Carey. A cascade of confetti and fireworks will ring in the new year when the Waterford Crystal ball drops.

In addition to the officers at the scene, dozens of analysts will be combing Islamic State propaganda and deciphering data.

Police also will be out in force at Coney Island, where live music and fireworks were expected to draw large crowds, and at a midnight event for runners in Central Park.

"The takeaway from our preparations is this: People will be safe, and they should feel safe, too," O'Neill said. "Because the [New York Police Department] and our partners are well-prepared."

For decades, Dec. 31 has been the biggest night of the year in Las Vegas, drawing tourists from all over the world.

Security has always been a concern. But this year, the preparations have taken on a more urgent tone.

In training and in drills, officers are being urged to consider the possibility of shootings from elevated positions. They are coordinating with medical personnel from the Fire Department, forming teams who will be ready to respond on the Strip and downtown if there is any kind of attack.

Homeland Security officials have classified the night as a top safety priority, sending snipers who will be poised on hotel rooftops, helicopters with tactical security forces, and a hostage rescue team from the Federal Bureau of Investigation. National Guard officers will also be stationed throughout the area, including at the nearby airport.

For years, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department had lobbied federal officials to give New Year's Eve the Department of Homeland Security's top special event assessment rating, which would provide the city with federal officers and resources like intelligence and helicopter teams. A few weeks after the October shooting, the Police Department got word that they would receive the rating for the first time this year.

"We need to be able to focus on multiple shooters, on one or more above ground -- we've got to multiply our forces," said Chief Chris Jones, who is overseeing the department's preparations. Jones estimated that there would be more than 5,000 local and federal officers along the Strip. Nearly the entire length -- roughly 4 miles -- will be closed to traffic.

About 330,000 visitors are expected on the Strip for New Year's Eve, the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority said. The number is down slightly from last year, though officials said it could still rise.

Information for this article was contributed by Colleen Long of The Associated Press and by Jennifer Medina of The New York Times.

A Section on 12/30/2017

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