Thousands Of Cops Assigned To Rockefeller Tree Lighting: NYPD

MIDTOWN MANHATTAN, NY — The NYPD will once again pull out all the stops to protect the thousands of people who will flood Rockefeller Center on Wednesday to watch the annual tree lighting ceremony.

The area around Rockefeller Center will be watched over by thousands of uniformed police officers, the NYPD's counterterrorism unit, the strategic response team, K9 units and the NYPD bike squad with the bomb squad just a quick call away, NYPD Chief of Patrol Rodney Harrison said Tuesday. The defense detail will also include snipers stationed on rooftops near Rockefeller Center and the NYPD's new technology to intercept any drones flying in the area.

Despite the heavy police presence, the NYPD doesn not believe there are any credible threats against the tree lighting ceremony, Harrison said.

The safety measures that will be put into place Wednesday night are similar to those that have been implemented in years past, NYPD Chief of Counterterrorism James Waters said Wednesday. Waters added that the NYPD has been preparing for this year's tree lighting ceremony since before last year's event took place.

Anybody attending the tree lighting ceremony will be required to enter Rockefeller Center using NYPD checkpoints at 48th, 49th and 50th Streets at both 5th Avenue and Avenue of the Americas, NYPD officials said. Each spectator will have their bags checked and receive a pat down, officials said. Umbrellas, large coolers, alcoholic beverages, backpacks and large bags are not allowed inside Rockefeller Center.

The NYPD will close down a number of streets in the area near Rockefeller Center beginning at 3 p.m. on Wednesday. The following streets will remain closed until the event ends at 11:30 p.m., police said:

• 48th, 49th, 50th, and 51st Streets between Avenue of the Americas and Madison Avenue,
• 47th Street between Fifth Avenue and Madison Avenue
• 52nd Street between Fifth Avenue and Madison Avenue.
• 48th to 51st Street between Avenue of the Americas and Madison Avenue
• 47th Street between Fifth Avenue and Madison Avenue
• 52nd Street between Fifth Avenue and Madison Avenue

The two streets connected to Rockefeller Center — 49th and 50th streets between Madison Avenue and Avenue of the Americas — will be closed until the tree is removed on Jan. 7, police said.

Photo by John Moore/Getty Images News/Getty Images