Lower Manhattan Terror Attack Prompts Suburban Security Changes
WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- Security barriers have been going up around the city in response to Tuesday's terror attack.
Those security changes are happening in the suburbs as well.
As CBS2's Brian Conybeare reported, the deadly truck attack in lower Manhattan has suburban communities coming up with new anti-terror measures of their own.
Huge dump trucks were deployed at the White Plains Farmers Market on Wednesday, putting people like Ginny Deckelmann on edge.
"I'm a little upset about it. I know they have to be there, but it's unfortunate that we are at this point in our lives that this is what we have to live with," Deckelmann said.
On a temporarily closed off section of Court Street downtown, the farmer's market is certainly a soft target. The new black boxes just installed at both ends of the block are designed to replace the big ugly trucks and still protect people from vehicle attacks.
When needed, a heavy-duty military grade kevlar cable runs all the way across the street to another black box. It can stop a 15,000-lbs truck going 30 mph.
"And it will hit the engine of a truck and block that truck," White Plains Public Safety Commissioner, David Chong said.
Chong said that as terrorists change their tactics, agencies like his have to change too.
"Any equipment that we have to use we will use, depending on the situation, depending on the crowd size, depending on the threat level," he said.
Westchester County Police are patrolling bike paths more often and the Federal Joint Terrorism Task Force is enhancing security in light of what happened.
"We always gear up and increase our number of counterterrorism patrols out there. We're actually federally funded to do that," Chong said, "So you will see an increased presence at certain critical infrastructure and locations."
Hopefully the new equipment and heightened security will clam any fears for people like Deckelmann.
"Things happen, but you don't think about it all the time, but now I guess you have to think about it," she said.
Especially when a terrorist hits so close to home.
White Plains police say their anti-terror teams will remain on high alert through the holidays.
Meanwhile, some suburban residents say the attack has them thinking twice about coming into the city for the holidays.
"I have two small kids. I can't risk my life," one woman told 1010 WINS' John Montone. "Now I can't go anywhere it's crowded."
But others say nothing will keep them away.
"It's a new reality but you have to keep going forward," said one man.
"Nothing scares me," another woman said.