Philadelphia police taking multiple steps to keep New Year's celebrations safe
As thousands of people gather in Center City to ring in 2025, Philadelphia police are working to keep the crowds safe.
Philadelphia Police Deputy Commissioner Mike Cram said security will be tight at the fireworks show in Penn's Landing and the Mummers Parade on Wednesday.
"You'll see officers on foot, officers in patrol cars, officers on bikes," Cram said.
Police are using a layered approach to secure the event.
"You'll see sanitation trucks out there at these big events that we use to restrict traffic movement," Cram said. "We have police cars blocked, just create a safe environment so vehicles can't get into the parade route that aren't supposed to be there."
Police said there are no specific threats to any of the New Year's celebrations.
"There's cameras everywhere and then you never know who you're standing by," said Tamyra Saunders from South Philadelphia. "So you could be standing right next to an undercover cop and you don't even know it."
As the countdown to midnight begins, police are issuing an urgent message about celebratory gunfire.
"Don't do it," Cram said. "Besides being illegal, it's just stupid. The bullets go up and they come down, right? And they hit innocent people."
