The NYPD is creating a new unit to handle both protest and terrorism situations, Police Commissioner Bill Bratton announced Thursday morning.
Speaking at a Police Foundation breakfast, Bratton said a unit comprised of about 350 specially trained officers will be assigned within the department’s current counterterrorism bureau. Bratton said the move will allow the department to maintain staffing during daily terrorism drills at high-profile locations across the city.
The group of officers will join the more than 1,000 officers currently assigned to the department's counterterrorism unit.
The department hopes to have the unit operational in six months, Bratton said. Each officer in the unit will also be specially outfitted with riot gear and technical equipment.
Bratton also unveiled what he called a “new patrol model" that he said would get cops interacting more with the communities they serve.
Under the model, officers would be tasked with visiting businesses and other community gathering centers during their tours rather than responding solely to radio calls, Bratton said.
