Deputy Mayor Fabien Levy, Communications: Good morning. Thank you all for being here today. My name is Fabien Levy, and I serve as deputy mayor for Communications for the City of New York. Welcome to the Crossroads of the World. Four years ago, tomorrow night, Mayor Adams was sworn in as the 110th mayor of our city right here in Times Square.
On his first day of the administration, Mayor Adams pledged to all New Yorkers that we would work every day to make this a safer city for them and their families. That's why for the last four years, public safety has been our north star. And that pledge will continue up until the mayor's final day in office, up until 11:59 p.m. tomorrow night, his final minute in office.
Tomorrow, as New Yorkers and visitors gather in this very square to ring in the New Year, they will be able to celebrate with peace of mind, knowing that our administration is working around the clock to keep them safe. To say more, I'd like to introduce the man who has kept his promise to deliver a safer city for us all, 110th mayor of the City of New York, Eric Adams.
Mayor Eric Adams: Thanks so much, DM Levy, and really want to thank those who are behind the scene doing the job, particularly chief of department, chief of patrol, and chief of transit. As I walked out, I told all three of them, a job well done. We look at the record number of decrease in crime in our subway system, what we've done above ground, and really the brain behind the coordination and operation of what our chief of operation and now chief of department, what he has done, is just really remarkable. We cannot thank them enough, because they saved lives.
And they had a real general, general Commissioner Tisch led the troops into battle and led from the front. So, really a job well done for the people in the City of New York, and the millions of tourists who come here every day, to make sure that this city is a place that they can enjoy as they visit our city. So, it's a combination of two.
Every year, you look here at Times Square, this is where it happens, as DM Levy stated. It's the crossroads of the entire globe. People come here to bring in the new year, and it is our job to make sure they're able to do that in a level of safety, and we cannot wait to welcome the crowds right here, hundreds of thousands, if not a million people would be right where you're standing now, and we're looking forward to the ball drop as we stand on the eve of the ball drop.
People will start lining up early in the day, and they're here throughout the entire day to hold their spot, and we want everyone to have a great time and spend lots of money. For those of you who are tourists here, spend money in the City of New York. You're a tourist? Spend money.
So, while people are here to enjoy, it's a group effort that involves interagency communications and coordination. But I want to assure everyone that maintaining a [safe] posture here during this celebration is something that we're focused on. I want to thank Deputy Commissioner Weiner, who's keeping her ears open and all the intelligence we need with our federal, state, and city agencies to make sure that we are proactive, not only reactive.
And as we ramp up for the festivities, the NYPD, the FDNY, New York City Emergency Management, DOT, the Department of Sanitation, and Times Square Alliance will be prepared. Tom, thanks so much, man. Great partnership with you. There will be officers in and out of uniform, keeping their eyes open. We're going to do our part. We need you to do your part. If you see something, say something, and most importantly, do something, notify one of the officers that are there.
This includes officers from the Patrol Service Bureau, the Transit Bureau, the Intelligence Counterterrorism Bureau, and the Special Operations Division. We will have plainclothes, K-9 teams, officers on horsebacks, on our trains, subway stations, and in helicopters, and on boats. Pedestrians and vehicle closures will be in effect leading up to and during the event. Security is everyone's responsibility, again, see something, say something, do something.
And while we do not have any specific or credible threats regarding the New Year's Eve festivities in Times Square, at this time, we are continually operating in a heightened threat, and please be conscious of your surroundings. While we acknowledge that the city will respect and protect people's right to protest, we will have a zero tolerance for interfering with the celebration tomorrow in Times Square or other disorderly behavior across the city.
And for those coming to Times Square to watch the ball drop, we urge you to use mass transit. Chief Gulotta made it safe, so let's make sure we use it. There are certain items you cannot bring into the safety zone, large backpacks, coolers, and alcohol beverages are strictly prohibited. Find out what the restrictions are before, you can come in without a problem.
To the lucky ones who are going to be in the immediate vicinity, we say dress warmly, so you can enjoy the moment. And I want to, again, thank the entire team, including Times Square Alliance, and everyone else who comes to make New Yorkers safe and enjoy the festivity.
And I want to, [on] just a special note, as you're aware, 2026 is the 250th anniversary of this great country, and I'm hearing that the Times Square Alliance is looking to do a second ball drop. We're excited about that. I think that this is an excellent idea. I hope the incoming administration will warmly welcome that. Anytime we can have more tourism and more money, we should look forward to it.
And so as I finish my term, I want to share with New Yorkers that it's been an honor to serve and a great responsibility to look after the safety and well-being of so many New Yorkers and visitors. Thank you for this incredible honor. From patrolman to mayor, I am humbled to have served this city, and I wish everyone a healthy 2026.
Deputy Mayor Levy: Thank you, mayor. Dress warmly, warmer than we are all dressed right now. So, the hundreds of thousands of onlookers we expect to pack this square tomorrow night, will be able to do so because of the thousands of city employees who will be on the clock serving their fellow New Yorkers.
So, I want to say thank you, from everyone at the NYPD, FDNY, DSNY, DOT, CECM, and all the other city agencies sacrificing their New Years to give so many such a wonderful experience. As the mayor said, we simply would not be able to celebrate the New Year the same way if it weren't for our brave men and women in blue.
We're still one day away from the end of the quarter, the end of the year, but come tomorrow, New York's Finest will have helped us bring crime down for eight straight quarters since January 2024. To speak more about the work our Police Department is doing to keep you safe tomorrow night, I'd like to welcome general NYPD Commissioner Tisch to the podium.
Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch: Good morning, everyone. Tomorrow, Times Square will begin to welcome more than a million visitors from around the world as we say goodbye to 2025 and we usher in 2026. New Year's Eve in Times Square is one of the largest and the most complex public safety operations anywhere in the world, and one the NYPD has secured successfully for decades.
For the past year, we've been working closely with the Times Square Alliance and our partners across city, state, and federal government. At this time, there are no known specific credible threats to the New Year's Eve celebration in Times Square.
As always, the men and women of the NYPD will be out there keeping everyone safe. The public should expect to see thousands of NYPD officers deployed throughout Times Square and the surrounding area. That includes officers from our specialized units, including emergency service unit, K-9, the bomb squad, heavy weapons teams, and our harbor teams.
Our helicopters and our drones will also be deployed during the day to provide comprehensive coverage in real time. We will also deploy dedicated pickpocket teams, hotel response teams, and additional uniform patrols to address quality of life and public safety concerns.
There will be assets that you will see and others that you will not see. The Joint Operations Center will be fully activated with all of our city, state, and federal partners, and personnel there will be actively monitoring fixed and mobile cameras. Intelligence teams will also be monitoring social media for potential threats, and response units will be deployed citywide to investigate any reports in real time.
Street closures will begin early tomorrow morning and will expand throughout the day. Beginning at 4 a.m. tomorrow, 7th Avenue will close to vehicular traffic between 42nd and 48th Streets, along with side streets between 43rd and 48th Streets from 6th to 8th Avenues.
At approximately 11 a.m., 7th Avenue and Broadway will close to vehicular traffic from 38th to 59th Streets. By approximately 4 p.m., 6th and 8th Avenues within the event area will close to both pedestrian and vehicle traffic, with pedestrian crossings at 41st, 44th, 47th, 50th, 54th, and 57th Streets.
We strongly encourage anyone traveling to Manhattan to use public transportation tomorrow. Concrete barriers and blocker vehicles and frozen safety lanes will be established to protect the perimeter of the area. Manholes, mailboxes, and trash receptacles within the frozen zone will be either secured or removed.
Viewing areas will officially open at 3 p.m. with pedestrian entry points at 45th, 49th, 52nd, and 56th Streets from both 6th and 8th Avenues, and will close street-by-street as those pens reach capacity. Spectators should expect to be screened by counterterrorism officers at these access points, and once inside a viewing area, there will be no re-entry and they may be subject to re-screening.
Spectators staying at hotels within the secured area will be required to remain within their assigned viewing pens. Certain items will not be permitted in viewing areas, including backpacks, large bags, large coolers, picnic blankets, chairs, alcohol, drones, laser pens, umbrellas, and any other large items that can obstruct a spectator's view.
On behalf of the men and women of the New York City Police Department, I want to thank our partners at the Times Square Alliance, along with our colleagues across city, state, and federal agencies for their continued collaboration, and most importantly, I want to thank the women and men of the NYPD who will be working through the night to ensure that this celebration remains safe.
We look forward to another secure and successful New Year's Eve in Times Square. Thank you.
Deputy Mayor Levy: Thank you, commissioner. Finally, I want to introduce a great partner and friend of our administration over the last four years, the man who ensures an average of 80 million visitors can enjoy Times Square every year, and that millions around the globe can enjoy the ball drop on television, the president of the Times Square Alliance, Tom Harris.
Tom Harris, President, Times Square Alliance: Thank you very much, deputy mayor, Commissioner Tisch, Mayor Adams. Tomorrow night, the world will turn to Times Square, and there is no one who can do an event better than the men and women of the New York City Police Department who work tirelessly throughout the year to keep Times Square safe.
I want to take this opportunity to thank Mayor Adams. Four years ago, when the mayor took office, crime was 20 percent higher than it is today. There's a 20 percent reduction in crime, 250 plus new businesses have opened up, all 13 of our unlicensed weed stores have been closed down by this administration.
People are moving to Times Square. They actually want to live here, thanks to the city that he has created. The hotels are doing great, Broadway has never been better, and people listened to him and spent money. Visa spending has never been higher.
So, thank you very much, Mayor Adams. For New Year's, as we look forward to the future, we know that our city is going to do great, thanks to all of the folks who care so much, thanks to the legacy of Mayor Adams. Tomorrow night is going to be a great night in Times Square, where the whole world will see how fantastic this city is. Thank you very much.
Question: Each year around this time, we see federal [inaudible] come out to talk about this event and the New Year’s. I’m just wondering if there’s anything you’ve seen [inaudible]. What you’ve seen globally that you’re doing for this particular event [inaudible].
Deputy Commissioner Rebecca Weiner, Intelligence and Counterterrorism, Police Department: Thank you. So as the mayor mentioned, we've been existing in a heightened threat environment for the last two and a half years, and each year our plan incorporates lessons learned from overseas [and] from events elsewhere. And this year, you're going to have augmented personnel to fortify the perimeter around the event and to minimize crowding around access points and make sure that, as every year, this is a safe, happy, and healthy event.
Question: So, I want to talk about the language “No credible threat.” That's [the] language that we adopted after 9/11, and it's been over 20 years since then. Considering the lone wolf dynamic, and whether or not if there was a credible threat, if the public would be alerted, can we talk about the weight that phrase carries now, if any, because of how the terrorist threat has really evolved since that language was adopted after 9/11?
Mayor Adams: Well, we saw, and I'm going to let the commissioner or the deputy commissioner speak. We saw several years ago, we had a lone wolf with a machete that attacked police officers, and I thought that the way the officers deployed, they maintained their postures on the locations where they were supposed to be, and at the same time, we got necessary personnel there to bring this person under control without additional injuries or loss of life. So, we know there's a constant evolution. Without the known threats, we are well aware that we have to remain vigilant, and that's what these officers, they know what needs to be done.
Police Commissioner Tisch: So, we get threats and leads into our intelligence center all the time. And so, what that phrase means is that we do not have, right now, any specific credible threats against Times Square New Year's Eve celebration this year.
Question: I guess the question was – you're a technology guy. So, what technology is going to advance safety and security for the city?
Mayor Adams: Well, I think the commissioner alluded to some of it. Don't underestimate the power of drones, and [in] this administration, we have really incorporated drones into our public safety apparatus on so many levels. But being able to police on the ground and in the sky is just an amazing contribution. And there's some other technology that, you know, we just don't want to tip our hands, but we're using technology to keep New Yorkers safe, and I think it's going to continue to evolve.
Question: To follow up, you started it all. You started your administration here. How did you feel to be back here?
Mayor Adams: Great. When I started it four years ago, no one knew of this woman named Dorothy Mae Adams that raised the mayor of the City of New York. And being able to hold my mother's picture up, so the entire globe could see that mothers across the globe sacrificed so much. And so, mommy is not the mayor, but she made a mayor. And so, it feels good, full circle. And listen, it has been a blast. I'm looking forward to a Single Malt Scotch and a cigar.
Question: Can you talk about the specific numbers? Are there any additions this year in terms of police officers and all that [inaudible]?
Police Commissioner Tisch: Our detail this year for the Times Square New Year's Eve celebration is bigger than last years. You're going to see more officers in two main places. First is at the access points to the event on 6th and 8th Avenue, so we can expedite entry or exit from the bow tie area.
And the second is we are going to be doing secondary screening this year of people inside pens, so we will have mobile screening teams walking around the pens. And if we see anything that looks suspicious, we will have teams in place to do appropriate screening. That's a new addition this year as well.
We never tell you the exact numbers, but rest assured, the entirety of the New York City Police Department is going to be working between December 31st and January 1st. This is the biggest event of the year.
Question: Can you give us some context for that additional screening? Has that additional screening been done in recent years? Why now?
Police Commissioner Tisch: No, the secondary screening is something that is net new this year, and it is based on – we study what goes on around the world, so it's based on what we've learned over the past year and what we've seen throughout the world in the terrorism space.
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