(CNN) — Up to 1 million revelers were expected to pack Times Square in New York City for the New Year’s Eve celebration, but not without some added security to help ring in 2015.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Wednesday an increase in police personnel throughout the city this New Year’s Eve, most visibly at Penn Station, the Port Authority bus terminal, as well as LaGuardia and JFK airports.
“New Year’s Eve is a time of celebration for New Yorkers, and an increased security presence will help ensure that tonight remains a safe and festive time for all,” Cuomo said.
Thousands of officers, including some additional personnel, will also be patrolling Times Square for the New Year’s Eve ball drop, NYPD Chief of Department James O’Neill told reporters.
The announcement comes on the heels of the December 20 ambush of two NYPD officers who were gunned down in their patrol car. In the following days, a law enforcement official told CNN the city would increase security around the New Year’s Eve celebration due to increased threats against police officers.
O’Neill said the city was on high alert in the wake of the killings.
“In light of what happened two weeks ago on Saturday, of course there’s a concern for every member of the New York City Police Department,” O’Neill said. “This is something that’s in real recent memory. This is something that every cop in New York City is concerned about.”
As is usual every year, thousands of police officers — both in uniform and civilian clothing — will be present in Times Square during the huge event, O’Neill said. But amid calls for protests on social media, the department planned on adding more officers as a precaution.
“People have an absolute right to protest … as long as they do it peacefully and laws aren’t broken,” he said. “That’s the way we’re going to police the event.”
