Security beef-up
NYPD consulting with Euro counterparts on July 4 prep
The NYPD is pulling out all the stops to make sure the July 4 holiday goes off without a hitch.
Thousands of uniformed and plainclothes cops will keep the anticipated 2 millionplus crowd watching the Macy's Fireworks show above the East River safe and sound Wednesday.
Specially-trained “vaporwake” dogs, which can detect any explosive, and 750 rookie police officers will be part of the blue wave of protection, department brass said Friday.
The NYPD also took advice from its battle-tested counterparts overseas.
“We met with our French colleagues today and we talked about their package for Bastille Day; we have the Dutch coming in this afternoon. We had the British in here within the last couple of weeks,” said John Miller, NYPD deputy commissioner of counterterrorism. “We compare notes. I think we pick up a lot from them, and they pick up a lot from us,” Miller said, but wouldn't elaborate.
There no credible terror threats against the planned festivities, the NYPD said.
The fireworks show is slated to start at 9:25 p.m. and go until 9:55 p.m. Streets around lower Manhattan, as well as the Brooklyn and Queens waterfronts, will be closed during the extravaganza.