Times Square revelers will see ‘stronger’ police presence, cops say

New York City officials say they are taking unprecedented steps to protect the one million revelers expected to brave arctic weather conditions Sunday to ring in 2018 in Times Square, a move sparked by two recent terror attacks in New York, as well as a shooting in Las Vegas and attacks elsewhere.

“You will see a stronger police presence out there than we’ve seen even in recent years,” Police Commissioner Jim O’Neill said during a news conference Thursday.

New York officials say there’s no evidence that indicates terror groups or lone wolves will attempt to disrupt the New Year’s Eve celebration in Times Square. But the NYPD and other city, state and federal agencies aren’t taking any chances.

The NYPD says it will implement now-familiar security measures in Times Square, such as deploying large sand trucks near intersections to block would-be killers from driving into the massive crowds expected to attend the annual celebration at the Crossroads of the World.

Authorities are also taking new measures this year. Parking garages in the area will receive extra scrutiny, and scores near Times Square will be closed. Officials also will monitor rental trucks.

Officers will be stationed in every hotel along Seventh Avenue so police can respond quickly if somebody tries to launch an attack on the celebration from a hotel rooftop or window.

Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo’s office said state agencies, including state police, the National Guard, the Metropolitan Transportation Agency and the Port Authority will bolster security at bridges, tunnels, airports, transit hubs and other high-profile locations.

A joint assessment report released Dec. 21 said there was “no information to indicate a specific, credible threat” to the Times Square celebration, a point echoed by New York Mayor Bill de Blasio on Thursday.

“There are no credible and specific threats” to New York City “and no credible and specific threats to Times Square,” de Blasio said.

The report, however, said the NYPD, FBI, Department of Homeland Security, New York State Police, Port Authority police and the New York Fire Department remain concerned about domestic or international terrorists targeting the event.

The beefed-up security comes just 20 days after police say an Islamic State group-inspired native of Bangladesh injured himself and five others after he set off a pipe bomb on Dec. 11 underneath the Port Authority, just a few blocks from where the annual Times Square New Year’s Eve celebration is held.

An Uzbekistan national was arrested and accused of killing eight people after he drove a rental truck onto a bike path along the West Side Highway on Oct. 31.

Authorities say a Nevada man fatally shot 58 people attending a Las Vegas country music festival from the 32nd floor of a nearby hotel on Oct. 1 before he killed himself.

Those cases prompted New York officials to take unprecedented steps to keep Times Square visitors safe.

Crosstown traffic will be barred after 11 a.m. from 37th to 59th streets and from Sixth to Eighth avenues, and the entire area will be sealed with concrete, blocker cars and sand trucks. Cars will not be allowed to enter or leave the scores of parking garages near the festivities.

The Times Square Alliance says the NYPD will begin limiting access to the area early Sunday and traffic will become completely blocked by 3 p.m.

Plainclothes officers, uniformed cops and K-9 units will flood the area, and revelers will be screened twice before they can enter Times Square. Radiation detectors will be deployed, too. Newspaper boxes and garbage cans will be removed.

Knapsacks, large bags and umbrellas will be banned from the area, and purses and other bags will be searched.

“The bottom line is, we will keep you safe,” O’Neill said.