The NYPD is considerably boosting the variety of cops on the Dominican Day Parade on Sunday — after an unruly crowd and a slashing compelled police to close down the festivities early final yr.
The forty third annual cultural celebration – set to run from West thirty eighth to West fifty fifth streets on Sixth Avenue in Manhattan – may have 500 extra cops on the beat than final yr, Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch instructed reporters Friday.
“Identical to each different main parade in New York Metropolis, plans are in place to make sure that it is going to be secure, it is going to be safe and that it is going to be peaceable,” Tisch mentioned. “And the men and women of the NYPD can be on the market defending everybody alongside the route with a stepped-up presence this yr.”
A complete of 957 unformed cops and 140 site visitors brokers can be readily available – not counting the K9 and drone groups additionally current, in accordance with NYPD Chief of Transit Joseph Gulotta.
As an additional security measure, the NYPD, together with parade organizers, opted to kick off the occasion two hours earlier this yr, at 11 a.m., Gulotta mentioned.
The revelry got here to a crashing halt final yr when the group grew boisterous and spectators began leaping the barricades round forty sixth Avenue.
By late afternoon, a 19-year-old man was busted for allegedly reducing a 65-year-old man on the face and hand with a knife throughout a dispute simply off the parade path, sources mentioned on the time.
The NYPD then shut down the parade earlier than it might attain Central Park.
“That was unacceptable, and we won’t tolerate it occurring once more,” Tisch mentioned Friday. “However we additionally know that that habits doesn’t mirror the overwhelming majority of people that got here out to have a good time.”
Tisch acknowledged that final yr, “We most likely underdid the staffing at this parade.
“So that’s one factor that we have been very intent on fixing for this yr, and I feel that may result in nice outcomes,” the highest cop mentioned.
The police presence this yr will embrace “uniformed officers posted alongside the route, site visitors brokers at intersections and crossings, in addition to personnel from our Emergency Service Unit, Mounted Unit, K9 and counterterrorism groups,” Tisch mentioned.
“Our auxiliary officers may also be working to help the element,” she added. “Our helicopters and our drones can be deployed in the course of the parade to help our officers on the bottom, offering complete protection in actual time. As at all times, there can be property that you will notice and others that you’ll not see.”
Officers may also be “out in full pressure” as soon as the parade wraps up to make sure that any festivities later within the day “stay peaceable,” Tisch mentioned.
As of Friday, there have been “no identified particular, credible threats” to the parade, and no indications of “potential gang-related violence,” Tisch mentioned.
“However as at all times, the NYPD, together with our regulation enforcement companions, stay vigilant,” she mentioned.
Starting at 10 a.m. Sunday, Sixth Avenue can be closed to all site visitors from thirty fourth to forty second streets, together with all crosstown site visitors, Tisch mentioned.
Beginning at 10:30 a.m., the closure will lengthen from forty second to fifty fifth streets, till the top of the festivities.
Throughout the parade, pedestrians will solely be capable to cross at thirty ninth Avenue, forty second Avenue, forty fifth Avenue, forty eighth Avenue and 51st Avenue, and solely approved automobiles can be permitted to enter the route.
