NYPD's focus turns to keeping World Trade Center memorial events safe
The NYPD says the department will have an increased security presence in place on Tuesday for the events at the National September 11 Memorial & Museum. Credit: Jeff Bachner
The eyes of the world — and the NYPD — will be focused Tuesday on the World Trade Center memorial for the 17th ceremony of the Sept. 11 terror attacks.
Hundreds of family members of the more than 2,900 victims, as well as assorted politicians, VIPs and first responders will assemble at about 8:40 a.m. at the downtown Manhattan memorial for this year’s remembrance, which will continue until about noon.
As in the past, there will be no speeches. The names of the deceased will be read aloud by family members and a bell will sound to correspond with the times the planes struck the Twin Towers and when they collapsed. The site will be closed to the public until about 3 p.m. officials said.
First responders attending the ceremony were asked to appear in uniform, said one police official. The NYPD has also asked officers at all police commands throughout the city who are not responding to service calls to assemble in front of their commands at 8:46 a.m. — the time the first plane hit the north tower — for a reading of the names of 23 NYPD officers who died at Ground Zero in the attack.
While there are no credible threats to New York City, the NYPD said it will be working closely with the Port Authority Police Department and other federal, state and local agencies to give a strong counterterrorism presence on Tuesday. The NYPD has a fully staffed World Trade Center command center, with additional officers from the Strategic Response Group and the Emergency Services Unit. Members of the EMS unit are trained to handle some medical emergencies, an NYPD official said.
"There will be a visible presence of resources and personnel in and around the memorial site, some of which you will see and some of which you will not see,” an NYPD spokesman said.
The National September 11 Museum will be closed for the day, according to the organization’s website, but the memorial will open at 3 p.m.
Little West Street, between Second and Third Place, will be closed to handle news media and broadcast trucks, until about 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday. Additional street closings in the area may be made at the NYPD’s discretion and could impact Trinity Place; West, Liberty, Albany and West Thames streets; and South End Avenue, according to department officials.
Police may close all but one lane of West Street to cut down on traffic noise so it doesn’t interfere with the memorial ceremony, the police official said.
Anthony M. DeStefano has been a reporter for Newsday since 1986 and covers law enforcement, criminal justice and legal affairs from its New York City offices.
