Yesterday, Lo-Down reader and LES photographer, Joel Raskin, sent in this photo, showing several NYPD cruisers lined up on East Broadway. Today. an explanation from the 7th Precinct about what was going on (turns out commenter Liam had it exactly right). Community Affairs Officer Nicky Teo sent us the following email:
These are officers who are assigned to surge or critical response vehicles. They are random officers assigned to these exercises, to practice deployment, in case of a mass mobilization, and to place additional officers at different locations throughout the city. it is part of the city’s plan to get officers ready.
A bit more elaboration. ABC News, in a recent behind-the-scenes report about the NYPD, explained:
The NYPD’s critical response surges, when patrol cars converge, without warning, on the site of a potential terrorist target, occur every day, twice a day, somewhere in New York City, say police officials. It’s an enormous team effort, 76 patrol cars, one from every police precinct in the city.
From time to time, the city’s blogs take note of the practice. See Gothamist, back in 2004. There were obviously not dozens of Police cars lined up on the street yesterday (more like 8 or 9), but it’s safe to say this exercise was part of an anti-terror drill.
