Officials say Southland law enforcement agencies are aware of an uncorroborated, non-specific terrorism threat against Los Angeles, New York and Washington, D.C., but it won’t affect already beefed-up New Year’s Eve patrols.
President Barack Obama has been briefed about the uncorroborated threat, which came from a single source overseas and warned of possible attacks between the Christmas and New Year holidays, according to CNN.
“We are aware of it, Major Crimes (Division) is aware of it, but it’s nothing specific,” Officer Ricardo Hernandez of the Los Angeles Police Department’s Media Relations Section said Wednesday.
The LAPD’s elite Metropolitan Division will be on maximum deployment and the Central Division will have extra officers on hand downtown, where various celebrations are planned, including a free block party in Grand Park that’s expected to draw about 50,000 revelers.
Security will also be heavy at the Tournament of Roses Parade and Rose Bowl football game in Pasadena on New Year’s Day, officials there said.
“Officials for the City of Pasadena, the Rose Bowl Stadium and the Tournament of Roses Association wish to remind the public and the news media that there are currently no known credible threats associated with security for either the 127th Rose Parade or the 102nd Rose Bowl Game, held Jan. 1, 2016,” according to a statement issued by William Boyer, public information officer for the Pasadena city manager’s office.
Boyer also passed on a similar statement provided to Pasadena police Chief Phillip Sanchez by the FBI.
“While the FBI and Department of Homeland Security are not aware of any specific, credible threats to the homeland, we continue to take proactive steps to ensure personnel and resources are in place to ensure the safety and security of our communities. We remind the public to remain vigilant and to report any suspicious activities which could represent a threat to public safety,” the statement read.
Boyer said that “increased visible and non-visible enhanced security measures will be in effect along the Rose Parade route and at the Rose Bowl stadium.”
Deputy Ryan Rouzan of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Information Bureau said the department has “received no credible threats that have been directed toward the city or county of Los Angeles.”
Deputies will mount beefed up patrols as a matter of course, including at the parade and football game in Pasadena, and extra units tasked with dealing with intoxicated drivers and illegal fireworks and gunfire will be deployed by stations throughout the county, Rouzan said.
“We’ll have more units than usual in the field,” he said.
The FBI is also expected to increase the number of agents and staff it will have on hand at command centers in Los Angeles and other U.S. cities.
