TIMES SQUARE — New York City will be the safest place to be in the country on New Year's Eve, city officials said Tuesday.
With close to 6,000 police officers in Times Square, some in uniform and some undercover, enhanced camera coverage and a newly trained elite anti-terrorism unit, the city is prepared, said Police Commissioner William Bratton and Mayor Bill de Blasio.
"We are very confident that New Year's Eve in New York City will be the safest place to be," said NYPD Intelligence Chief James Waters.
The concern comes after two devastating terrorists attacks in Paris this year and the recent San Bernadino shooting that left 14 dead.
But New York City has everything under control, city officials said repeatedly at a Times Square press conference.
"There's a new world because of what's happened with ISIS," de Blasio said about the group that has claimed responsibility for the Paris attacks.
"We are the best prepared city in the country to prevent terrorism," de Blasio later added.
Bratton said that officials are "not aware of any threat at this time that we deem credible."
Nevertheless, there will be 14 access points for entrance to the pen to watch the ball drop where officers will be checking with handheld metal detectors.
There will be radiation and chemical detectors and the new critical response team will be prepared to stop anyone who tries to breach the perimeter. The 1,200 cops who graduated from the police academy will also be out on patrol in Times Square along with more than 1,000 cameras.
Streets from West 35th Street to West 59th Street between Sixth and Eighth avenues will be closed starting at 4 a.m. on New Year's Eve.
"We're ready," de Blasio said.
