With tensions boiling in the middle east, and with many in New York City celebrating Rosh Hashanah, the first of the high holy days, Wednesday evening, the NYPD ramped up security around the city. NBC New York’s Marc Santia reports.
The NYPD put its security plan for synagogues and diplomatic consulates in place a day earlier than expected, due to ballistic missile attacks by Iran on Israel.
The heightened security was set to go into place Wednesday, when the Jewish holiday of Rosh Hashanah begins. However, more NYPD heavy weapons teams could be seen on Tuesday at Manhattan spots like Temple Emanu-El on the Upper East Side and the Israeli consulate in Midtown in the wake of at least 180 missiles getting fired into Israel the latest in a series of escalating attacks.
"Obviously we all want peace coming together over the course of these holy days. We will be praying for Israel’s well being," said Rabbi Joshua M. Davidson of Temple Emanu-El.
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Davidson sought to reassure congregants that safety contingency plans were in place at the synagogue, that they were in connection with police, and that there were no credible threats or security issues.
The NYPD had already been preparing to increase patrols ahead of Rosh Hashanah, but the attacks expedited those plans.
"Our plan is really wrapped around communication, prevention, deployment and if need be, apprehension," said NYPD Chief of Patrol John Chell, noting that the department seeks to "make the Jewish community, and all New Yorkers" feel safe.
Chell broke down the NYPD's plan to keep the city secure, including "air support, foot posts, directed patrol, turret lights, intel behind the scenes. We are going to cover bridges and tunnels. We are gonna have RMPs, police cars.” He said a priority will be placed on so-called sensitive locations.
"You’re going to see our high value locations: Synagogues, big synagogues, consulates. You’re going to weapons teams out there. We are not hiding the fact we want you to see us," he said.
The NYPD has a liasson in Israel giving real time information back to the department so they can quickly deploy resources where needed.
"There is no immediate threat, but let’s be honest: At this point in time, when it comes to New York City, we are at the most heightened alert we can be at," Chell said.
