By Jill Colvin
DNAinfo Reporter/Producer
MANHATTAN — No drinking, no backpacks and plenty of supervision. No, it’s not a high school dance. It’s New Year's Eve in Times Square.
Those hoping to brave the crowds to ring in the New Year in Midtown will have some strict rules to follow, police and organizers said.
All backpacks, large bags and packages would be prohibited from Times Square and pocketbooks would be inspected, the NYPD said in a statement.
Alcohol was also strictly prohibited, police and organizers warned. Passengers would also be banned from carrying alcohol on PATH trains, the Port Authority-controlled train service announced on its Twitter feed Wednesday.
Revelers should expect a serious police presence throughout the celebration — the first since last spring's failed car bombing in Times Square.
Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly said Thursday the city had received "no specific threats" concerning the New Year's Eve celebration but that "there is a lot of activity in Europe that we have our eyes on."
The department would have "several thousand police officers" deployed in Times Square as well at other big congregation points around the city, including Battery Park, he said.
A majority — if not all — of the department’s newest class of nearly 1,200 graduates would be on duty, police said, and emergency service squads, drug and bomb-sniffing canine units and counter-terrorism personnel would be on hand, according to the Times Square Alliance. Man holes would also be sealed shut and counter-snipers stationed on certain rooftops, the AP reported.
Police officers will also be carrying small radiation detectors, while larger detectors will be deployed on vehicles.
"We always do things a little bit differently," Kelly said.
To make the most of the night, the Times Square Alliance is advising revelers to arrive as early as possible, warning that prime viewing areas may fill early in the afternoon. It also suggests dressing warmly with layers, water-resistant outwear and good hats, as well steering clear of too much water, caffeine and alcohol.
There will be no public restrooms on site throughout most of the night.
The festivities will officially begin at 6 p.m. with the raising of the New Year’s Eve ball to the top of a 77-foot flagpole. Mayor Michael Bloomberg will push a Waterford crystal button at 11:59 p.m. to trigger the ball’s descent.
"Every year we have a great celebration, and this looks to be another one," Bloomberg said.
Julie Shapiro contributed reporting.
