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 12 months.
The forty third annual cultural celebration – set to run from West thirty eighth to West fifty fifth streets on Sixth Avenue in Manhattan – could have 500 extra cops on the beat than final 12 months, 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 stated. “And the ladies and men of the NYPD will likely be on the market defending everybody alongside the route with a stepped-up presence this 12 months.”
A complete of 957 unformed cops and 140 visitors brokers will likely be readily available – not counting the K9 and drone groups additionally current, in keeping 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 12 months, at 11 a.m., Gulotta stated.
The revelry got here to a crashing halt final 12 months when the group grew boisterous and spectators began leaping the barricades round forty sixth Road.
By late afternoon, a 19-year-old man was busted for allegedly slicing a 65-year-old man on the face and hand with a knife throughout a dispute simply off the parade path, sources stated on the time.
The NYPD then shut down the parade earlier than it might attain Central Park.
“That was unacceptable, and we is not going to tolerate it occurring once more,” Tisch stated Friday. “However we additionally know that that conduct doesn’t mirror the overwhelming majority of people that got here out to have fun.”
Tisch acknowledged that final 12 months, “We most likely underdid the staffing at this parade.
“So that’s one factor that we had been very intent on fixing for this 12 months, and I believe that may result in nice outcomes,” the highest cop stated.
The police presence this 12 months will embody “uniformed officers posted alongside the route, visitors brokers at intersections and crossings, in addition to personnel from our Emergency Service Unit, Mounted Unit, K9 and counterterrorism groups,” Tisch stated.
“Our auxiliary officers can even be working to help the element,” she added. “Our helicopters and our drones will likely be deployed through the parade to help our officers on the bottom, offering complete protection in actual time. As at all times, there will likely be property that you will note and others that you’ll not see.”
Officers can even be “out in full drive” as soon as the parade wraps up to make sure that any festivities later within the day “stay peaceable,” Tisch stated.
As of Friday, there have been “no recognized particular, credible threats” to the parade, and no indications of “potential gang-related violence,” Tisch stated.
“However as at all times, the NYPD, together with our legislation enforcement companions, stay vigilant,” she stated.
Starting at 10 a.m. Sunday, Sixth Avenue will likely be closed to all visitors from thirty fourth to forty second streets, together with all crosstown visitors, Tisch stated.
Beginning at 10:30 a.m., the closure will lengthen from forty second to fifty fifth streets, till the tip of the festivities.
Throughout the parade, pedestrians will solely have the ability to cross at thirty ninth Road, forty second Road, forty fifth Road, forty eighth Road and 51st Road, and solely licensed automobiles will likely be permitted to enter the route.
