Return to Transcripts main page
Live From...
New York Continues to Beef-up Security Around the City
Aired March 17, 2003 - 17:19 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Sadly, New York City knows the devastating consequences of being a target of terror. So ahead of any war with Iraq, the city reportedly has a plan to heighten security measures.
CNN's Jason Carroll live from New York City with more on the homeland security efforts. How much are they telling you about those efforts, Jason, or are they keeping it hush-hush?
JASON CARROLL, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Actually, Miles, we have quite a few details about this operation. It would be called the Operation Atlas. It's made up of a group of officers that would be responsible for providing extra security to sites such as this one.
This is the Midtown Tunnel, this is the tunnel that leads into Manhattan from Queens. You can see here where they have a checksite -- a checkpoint that's already set up at this particular site. Operation Atlas would be responsible for things like right here. Also the city's bridges, the city's subways as well.
A little bit more about Operation Atlas that we can tell you: it was formed two weeks ago, made up of several hundred officers within the New York City Police Department. These officers coming from several bureaus within the department. Counter intelligence, transportation, for example.
These men and women are trained to conduct sweeps in explosives in sensitive areas such as Penn Station and Grand Central. They'll also patrol sensitive sites, Miles, such as government buildings, tourist attractions, major hotels and we're also told houses of worship such as churches, synagogues and mosques.
I also want to show you a live picture of Times Square. That also factors into this equation as well. As you know, there are several anti-war demonstrations that are planned for Times Square if war should in fact break out. Operation Atlas would also provide extra security for Times Square for that event as well.
For his part, New York City's mayor, Michael Bloomberg, has been basically saying all along that New York City has been at a heightened state of alert ever since 9/11. He calls it the city's, quote, "new reality." And he says despite all of the added security we'll be seeing here in the city, he expects New Yorkers to go along as business as usual -- Miles. O'BRIEN: Jason, those protests. On the one hand, you want to honor the First Amendment. That is, after you will, what the war is being waged on behalf of, our freedoms. The other side of it, however, the protests could be a great opportunity for terrorists. How are the police going to try to walk that tight rope?
CARROLL: Well, as you know, Miles, the New York City Police Department is used to hosting large-scale events especially in an area such as Times Square. There are concerts there are parades. A lot of large-scale events are held there several times throughout the year. So they are accustomed to dealing with large crowds. They are accustomed to dealing with security threats.
So what they will do is have a plan in place to have officers on the ground. They'll have officers up above in some of the skyscrapers there that line Time Square. That he will have officers who are undercover.
I assume that they'll be doing, just as they do when there's a concert in times square, they'll be searching people as they come in. No large bags will be allowed in that particular area. They'll be cordoning off protesters in particular, pens or groups, so that way you can keep crowd control -- manage crowd control a little bit more.
This is a city used to hosting large-scale events and an anti-war protest will be no different.
O'BRIEN: CNN's Jason Carroll in Manhattan where the police have the weight of the world if not the city on their shoulders. Operation Atlas. Thank you very much.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired March 17, 2003 - 17:19 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Sadly, New York City knows the devastating consequences of being a target of terror. So ahead of any war with Iraq, the city reportedly has a plan to heighten security measures.
CNN's Jason Carroll live from New York City with more on the homeland security efforts. How much are they telling you about those efforts, Jason, or are they keeping it hush-hush?
JASON CARROLL, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Actually, Miles, we have quite a few details about this operation. It would be called the Operation Atlas. It's made up of a group of officers that would be responsible for providing extra security to sites such as this one.
This is the Midtown Tunnel, this is the tunnel that leads into Manhattan from Queens. You can see here where they have a checksite -- a checkpoint that's already set up at this particular site. Operation Atlas would be responsible for things like right here. Also the city's bridges, the city's subways as well.
A little bit more about Operation Atlas that we can tell you: it was formed two weeks ago, made up of several hundred officers within the New York City Police Department. These officers coming from several bureaus within the department. Counter intelligence, transportation, for example.
These men and women are trained to conduct sweeps in explosives in sensitive areas such as Penn Station and Grand Central. They'll also patrol sensitive sites, Miles, such as government buildings, tourist attractions, major hotels and we're also told houses of worship such as churches, synagogues and mosques.
I also want to show you a live picture of Times Square. That also factors into this equation as well. As you know, there are several anti-war demonstrations that are planned for Times Square if war should in fact break out. Operation Atlas would also provide extra security for Times Square for that event as well.
For his part, New York City's mayor, Michael Bloomberg, has been basically saying all along that New York City has been at a heightened state of alert ever since 9/11. He calls it the city's, quote, "new reality." And he says despite all of the added security we'll be seeing here in the city, he expects New Yorkers to go along as business as usual -- Miles. O'BRIEN: Jason, those protests. On the one hand, you want to honor the First Amendment. That is, after you will, what the war is being waged on behalf of, our freedoms. The other side of it, however, the protests could be a great opportunity for terrorists. How are the police going to try to walk that tight rope?
CARROLL: Well, as you know, Miles, the New York City Police Department is used to hosting large-scale events especially in an area such as Times Square. There are concerts there are parades. A lot of large-scale events are held there several times throughout the year. So they are accustomed to dealing with large crowds. They are accustomed to dealing with security threats.
So what they will do is have a plan in place to have officers on the ground. They'll have officers up above in some of the skyscrapers there that line Time Square. That he will have officers who are undercover.
I assume that they'll be doing, just as they do when there's a concert in times square, they'll be searching people as they come in. No large bags will be allowed in that particular area. They'll be cordoning off protesters in particular, pens or groups, so that way you can keep crowd control -- manage crowd control a little bit more.
This is a city used to hosting large-scale events and an anti-war protest will be no different.
O'BRIEN: CNN's Jason Carroll in Manhattan where the police have the weight of the world if not the city on their shoulders. Operation Atlas. Thank you very much.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
