In Response To Terror Fears, Long Island Police Step Up Patrols At Malls
HUNTINGTON, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- Long Island malls are stepping up security heading into the busy Thanksgiving weekend.
The Walt Whitman Shops in Huntington are among the shopping centers where patrols have been increased due to terrorism fears, WCBS 880's Sophia Hall reported.
Suffolk County police Sgt. Hank Arnold stressed that are no credible terror threats to the area.
"Go out, enjoy the holiday, get your kids' gifts, and you're safe," Arnold said.
He said some of the officers are visible, but others are not.
"We are in the malls en masse in both plain clothes and officers in uniform," Arnold said.
The Suffolk County Police Department has also increased patrols at the Smith Haven Mall.
In a statement, a spokeswoman for the Simon Property Group, which operates both the Walt Whitman and Smith Haven shopping centers, said it "has a detailed security plan in place for the holidays, which we will continually evaluate and modify as needed" and "is regularly in communication with the Department of Homeland Security."