Posted on 02/02/2008 1:49:30 AM PST by neverdem
In the first counterterrorism strategy of its kind in the nation, roving teams of New York City police officers armed with automatic rifles and accompanied by bomb-sniffing dogs will patrol the city’s subway system daily, beginning next month, officials said on Friday.
Under a tactical plan called Operation Torch, the officers will board trains and patrol platforms, focusing on sites like Pennsylvania Station, Herald Square, Columbus Circle, Rockefeller Center and Times Square in Manhattan, and Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn.
Officials said the operation would begin in March.
Financing for the program will be funneled to the Police Department and will come from a pool of up to $30 million taken from $153.2 million in new federal transit grants to the state.
Michael Chertoff, the secretary of homeland security, and Gov. Eliot Spitzer announced the grants at a news conference on Friday at Grand Central Terminal, where Police Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly outlined his plans to add a layer of security to the city’s 24-hour transit system.
Mr. Kelly’s plan to heighten security and monitor a subway system that carries nearly five million people a day along 656 miles of tracks reflects the city’s continuing concerns about a possible attack.
After the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attack, police patrols increased in the subways, particularly at the entrances to the 16 underwater tunnels. As terrorists have hit rail systems around the world, the police in New York have reacted with strategies tailored to thwart similar attacks...
--snip--
Officers with high-powered rifles have patrolled sensitive sites above ground in New York, like the Empire State Building, and have guarded subway entrances after attacks in other cities, but have never made daily patrols...
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
Having them armored is not so bad... what's bad is having the general citizenry disarmed as they are in New York City, where pretty much only the criminals, the police and a few connected persons or their private security, are armed.
I wonder if the bullet resistant vests, let alone "assault weapons", would even be legal for the peons in New York City? I know that "assault weapons" are illegal in NYC,.... Hmm..... Well it's illegal in NY State to wear such a vest while committing a violent crime and possessing a firearm. (Section 270.20 New York Penal code) I can't seem to find the NY City laws on line. Anyone know if vests are legal in NYC for mere peons?
I did not call them goons
A jihadi planning to blow himself up will only be discouraged if he thinks he won't be able to take a bunch of Infidels with him. On the subway, or at a station, he's going to be able to do that as soon as the police start shooting, or at least he'll think he will be able to. Thus no deterrent effect from having the SWAT wanna bes in the subway system itself.
This being NY City, they won't be profiling riders for extra attention to those from groups more likely to be that jihadi, they'll be going after little old ladies of Russian Jewish ancestory and ethnic Chinese.
Don’t need all of those guys, there we two sets of officers searching bags at the subway to Grand Central Terminal.
Oh, and I guess this means I can’t have a small folding knife attached to my belt now.
Thanks for taking away my only feasible means of self-defense when I go into NYC, Bloomberg.
The things I could scream about him would give a priest a heart attack.
Four Vietnam Vets are more tactically inclined than 12 SWAT guys. I’d trust somebody who has stared death in the face for months instead of somebody who might get 1000 rounds of ammunition to practice with throughout the year.
Not making excuses, but being an insomniac with 0 energy, I’d sooner trust an armed citizen with my safety than wanna-be counter-terrorist operatives.
Even assuming that you’re correct — (which is a large assumption) — what good is an armed citizen against a chem/bio attack?
And for the record, these guys are not “wannabes.” And many of them have “stared death in the face.”
Doesn’t look like those SWAT guys are wearing chem/bio gear to me.
Do you believe these guys just had their names picked out of a hat for the assignment?
Let’s get real here. You’re talking about one of the best trained, best funded, and largest police force in the country.
I’d add, the $3 billion dollar budget for the NYPD is larger than some state budgets. With 50,000 cops, there are more police in NYC than the population of many cities.
What a beautiful afternoon Skywalk.
#
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1956150/posts
“This Is the FBI—Can We Talk?”
Washingtonian ^ | 01. Jan 2008 | Mark Matthews
Posted on 01/18/2008 9:46:34 PM PST by forkinsocket
QUOTE:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1956150/posts?page=40#40
To: Cindy
I guess we just see things differently. Are we talking about the same FBI that gave us Waco and Ruby Ridge? Do you really think an agency that allows a baby murderer to walk among us everyday deserves ANY benefit of the doubt? The same agency who promoted the organizers and leaders of these massacres? Or maybe we are talking about the FBI that currently holds somewhere between 2 and 10 CITIZENS of the united Stares with no legal representation? Or possibly we are talking about the FBI that monitors almost every email and cell phone conversation in the united States? For the benefit of the doubt maybe we are talking about the FBI that abused the power of searches and seizures in the last 6 years and handed out NO disciplinary action to anyone involved.
When any alphabet agency wants to talk to me they had better have a warrant and then be warned that I invoke the “belligerent claimant” position - fully approved by the united States Supreme Court.
Smile on but I truly hope it is not you or someone from your family that suffers from their incompetence or out of control behavior.
40 posted on 01/19/2008 3:34:55 PM PST by mad_as_he$$ (Obama - all smoke not even a mirror.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 38 | View Replies | Report Abuse ]
#
QUOTE:
To: mad_as_he$$
OPINION:
I don’t condone Ruby Ridge nor Waco.
No sane person would.
I believe you’re judging all leos and and FBI agents as all being rotten apples in the same barrel.
If so, I’m sorry for you.
Generally speaking, I believe we’ll have to agree that you and I don’t have the same viewpoint.
41 posted on 01/19/2008 4:18:59 PM PST by Cindy
Laughing...I’m all for global warming about now.
All Americans have a natural suspicion of authority, including cops. Even cops don’t like to see a cop in the rearview mirror.
However, there is such a thing as taking this generally healthy suspicion for authority too far.
Hi AD.
I’m for the 2nd Amendment as you well know AND a good defense/offense both home and abroad.
Thanks for thinking about this.
Security should be seen and unseen.
As for the terrorists; they read us and we read them.
Thank you The Spirit of Allegiance.
“And they know who you are, too. They’ve been reading Free Republic.”
Yes.
“Armed citizens would be better. Cops can’t be everywhere, citizens are everywhere.”
Legally armed citizens, LEOS and other alphabets are a good combination.
I have been the victim of personal and property crimes, so I do understand what you are saying.
A brief note:
About a decade ago, my husband and I caught some escaped felons on our old farm.
We had them in custody and ready for pick up when the sheriff’s deputies arrived about 45 minutes later.
Depends what jurisdiction you’re in and what your assignment is.
“Even cops don’t like to see a cop in the rearview mirror.”
Well now, that’s true.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.