NYPD enhances presence at high-profile spots in wake of Capitol riot

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The NYPD is stepping up its presence around City Hall, Trump Tower, federal buildings and other high-profile locations following an FBI warning of more possible attacks like the deadly US Capitol riot, officials and sources said Thursday.

Times Square, Washington Square Park, the Trump International Hotel and federal courthouses are among the other spots seeing an enhanced NYPD footprint through at least Inauguration Day, according to a law-enforcement source familiar with an FBI memo sent Wednesday to the department.

In a conference call held Thursday with reporters, John Miller, the NYPD’s Deputy Commissioner of Intelligence and Counterterrorism, repeatedly stressed that the department was not aware of any specific, credible threats against the city, but said that a cautious approach was nevertheless wise.

“I think you’ll see additional police resources around City Hall between the 17th and the 20th,” he said, in one example. “Not because we have specific intelligence or any information that there will be activity there, but out of an abundance of caution because I think during this time it is prudent to protect government installations and sensitive locations.”

In addition to bolstering existing presences at high-profile locations across the city, cops will be prepared to roll out in response to any additional threats as they crop up, sources said.

At federal buildings, such as US courthouses, the Finest will augment standing ranks of federal guards, according to insiders.

The tightening of defense comes just over a week after supporters of President Trump mobbed the US Capitol building in Washington, DC in a fruitless but destructive attempt to prevent Congress’ certification of Joe Biden’s presidential election win.

The uprising left five people dead, including a Capitol Police officer.

In response, the FBI issued a nationwide bulletin warning authorities to be on heightened alert for armed demonstrations both in DC and at the capitols of all 50 states — with similar advisories since extended to the NYPD and other police departments across the country.

In addition to a more robust deployment at home, the NYPD is also sending about 200 of its cops down to DC to help police the inauguration.

Miller said Thursday that those Finest would be “deputized as federal law-enforcement officers” for the day.

He said that it was an unprecedented step for a nearly unprecedented time.

“We have never had Americans fighting Americans on the streets of the nation’s capital or anything like that probably since the Civil War,” he said.

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