NYPD prepared to keep Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade audience safe
NEW YORK — Finishing touches are being put into place for Thursday's Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, and the New York City Police Department said it's ready to keep everyone safe.
City officials said they're expecting 3 million people to attend the 98th annual parade, and it took 18 months of work for the event to come together.
The parade kicks off at 8:30 a.m. Thursday and ends around noon. Spectators are allowed to start lining up as early as 6 a.m. between West 75th and 61st streets along Central Park West.
How the NYPD plans to keep parade-goers safe
Mayor Eric Adams, the NYPD and city officials held a press conference Wednesday evening, saying they want to make sure people attending the parade are safe.
Counterterrorism officers have been working with intel analysts, federal, state and local partners in preparation.
The mayor says the NYPD has handled more than 3,000 protests since October of last year and are prepared for the official kickoff of the holiday season.
"As always with events like this, there will be security measures that you'll see and others that you won't see. Of course, there will be an increased police presence, both along the parade route and in the surrounding neighborhoods, including entry point screenings, uniform foot posts, bike teams, as well as aviation, K-9, transit and other specialized units," NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said.
There are no credible threats, but police say they are prepared.
Parade-goers may see NYPD drones, a tool police have been using when monitoring large crowds.