Every 'available' officer will be working on busy July Fourth weekend, NYPD says

All available NYPD officers will be working on the July Fourth weekend as New York City grapples with security preparations for what Mayor Zohran Mamdani said will be the biggest confluence of public events in memory.

An estimated tens of thousands of officers will be pressed for duty, as three major events with universal appeal — the FIFA World Cup, a massive July Fourth fireworks display and an international armada of sailing ships — well as arguably a fourth, Taylor Swift's wedding at Madison Square Garden to Kansas City Chiefs star Travis Kelce, all hit over the holiday weekend.

Regular police days off are expected to be honored, but officials said the NYPD is still on 12-hour tours, something that could boost overtime expenses to about $92 million.

Alluding to the wedding plans for Swift and Kelce, NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said the department will have a detail of officers on hand for what she said was an "event" Friday night at Madison Square Garden.

"Every New York City police officer that is available will be working," Chief of Department Michael LiPetri said at a news conference that included Tisch, Mamdani and other officials. 

While neither LiPetri nor Tisch would give specifics, one law enforcement official estimated that about two-thirds of the NYPD's 34,000 uniformed personnel would be available for duty. In addition, U.S. Coast Guard Capt. John Andrechik said hundreds of Coast Guard personnel, as well as scores of vessels and aircraft, would be pressed into service.

Tisch said that the city was working under a heightened threat environment shaped by international events.

While there are no known credible threats to the city during the upcoming celebrations, Tisch said there will be a "robust" counterterrorism overlay, including bomb squad officers and K-9, heavy weapons and aviation units. Police harbor units will also be on patrol.

A drone detection unit will also be aloft, the commissioner added, noting that in recent weeks, largely around the World Cup matches and various watch parties, the NYPD has "mitigated" 97 drones. While Tisch wasn’t specific, a law enforcement source who didn’t want to be identified said police use electronic measures to counter drones.

Earlier this year, Tisch expressed concern hostile drones could be used in the city. But officials said the federal government recently gave the NYPD authority to neutralize drones.

Mamdani said the next few days "will be a weekend we will remember for generations," while at the same time reminding the public to take precautions during a period of high heat.

By Anthony M. DeStefano

tony.destefano@newsday.comtonynewsday

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.