Bloomberg Audio Studios, podcasts, radio news. Let's get some insights out of somebody who knows exactly how the NYPD operates. Former Commissioner Ray Kelly joining us right now. He was commissioner during the Dinkins administration. He was also a course commissioner during the administration of Michael R. Bloomberg, of course, who is the majority owner of the company that owns the network you're watching right now. Commissioner Kelly, great to
have you here. Let's just talk about the basic sort of security measures that we typically see for these big events like the Times Square ball drop, where you have to corral hundreds of thousands, of not millions of people into one tight area and make sure that all those people get in safely and more importantly and get home safely as well.
Right. It's a real challenge, no question that Viuder Bronse at NYPG has done it pretty well for many years, you know. And there's a core area that in order to get there, you've got to enter either on six or ath Ava, and that's where anyone going into that area will be subject to a search, and say banks would be searched, they'll be shifted to magnetomatave searches, that
that sort of thing. And there's standard things that done I've done in the situations for instance, the manhold or are sealed, the mailboxes are taking away, those sorts of things which are pretty standard. And we say now that there's the counter terrorism overlight particularly we started doing that when the department started doing that since there adious events
of nine to eleven. That means more police for specialized units, more UH ciphered teams, that that sort of thing, and as the committeer said yesterday, there's no credible threats that were where she also mentioned that drones will be increased. The Apartment has been using drones for the last few years, and I think that's it. That's a good thing. So a lot of cops, no question about it. It's manpower intensive.
And I think another thing too to be aware of is that in the other four boroughs in New York City there are major New Year's Eve events that require a significant police presents as well. Well, you've done this before, yeah, that way.
Well, that's a good point. And obviously for our viewers outside of New York five boroughs here, obviously the main celebration in Manhattan, But as the Commissioner points out, a lot of other festivities going on all around the city, and I know that keeps the cops busy on a
day like tonight. Do you sort of in the past, do you get sort of get all the cops on the clock for a night like this or the majority of them if you will, or are you able to kind of do with your normal normal allocations that you would on a normal day.
Well, that's the challenge. We have to please the rest of the city, and you know, eight point four million people of another you want to use. So most of the police that you'll see tonight are on overtime. It's not on their regular schedule tour of duty. It's an expensive proposition, but that's what the department has to do. There are some manpower concerns or as people leaving the department. So in order to release an event like tonight, do
you use your event? You're going to have to pay a lot of overtime, but the rest of the city will be adequately policed.
I am curious too, just about some of the recent events. I mean, obviously there are a lot of security measures that are to a certain sense static. I mean you can apply them this year, you can apply them ten years from now. We've had a couple of incidents in New York obviously, with the killing of the United Healthcare Executive, you've got a lot of I guess, political differentiation, if you will, for lack of a better word, and concerns
about the security measures needed to protect those folks. How does the NYPD adapt kind of these sort of newer and more unique challenges that maybe puts me in danger.
Yeah, there are no guarantees, but there are things that you can do. Obviously, you monitor social media closely. Usually, yes, there is some sort of political deministration, it's going to surface on the internet. We watch certain people's you know, people who have a record maybe of disruption and maybe have been hinting about coming to the event. We may surveil them, not necessarily in person, but denman whether or
not you've got an analyte tickets. That's sort of thing. So, as I say, no guarantees, but the department is doing everything that reasonably can be done to protect the city tonight.
I am curious though, if I can get your thoughts about the health of the Department of the NYPD. I mean, since Mayor Adams took over three years ago. We've gone through well three official commissioners and one acting, so basically four people holding that job. The current person who holds that just a tish. I believe you probably have some familiarity with her, given her experience and counter terrorism back
in the early and the late arts. Here give us a sense here of what you know about her and her potential stewardship of the NYPD over the next year and maybe beyond, depending on how long she stays. Well.
I know quite a bit about her. I hired her borders of the Police Department and she was there for twelve years. She has three degrees from a low degree, a business degree, and an undergraduate degree. She did an excellent job for me. She run two major New York City agencies do it, which is the Department for Technical Matters and the Sanitation Department and the reports. So will be very very positive. She is a decision maker, she very smart, and I think she will do and is
doing an excellent job. So I think the police Department is in good hand absolutely here.
And it doesn't matter at all this idea that she herself wasn't actually a cop herself does that matter to the rank and file.
I don't think so. I think you get over it pretty quickly. We've had commissioners who have never been police office. As a matter of fact, the majority of police officers of police commencers through the history of the department have not been been police officers. The concept was always sort of a commission who watched the department and manage the department, and then it was reduced to more as to Teddy Roosevelt was on the commission. So I think she is the right choice at the right time.
It gets your job done, all right, Commissioner Kelly, appreciates you taking time for us today, and of course all eyes right now focus on Times Square and all those NYPD officials hoping to keep everyone safe here for yet another New Year's Eve. Commissioner. Former NYPD Commissioner Ray Kelly there served briefly under David Dinkins back in the nineties, and then did a relatively long stint under Mayor Michael Bloomberg back in the two thousands.