By Hank Russell
Just days before hosting the ICC T-20 Men’s 2024 Cricket World Cup, Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman held a press conference at Nassau County police headquarters on May 29 to address the security concerns that may arise during the tournament.
Blakeman pointed out that he has been working with the Joint Terrorism Task Force, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Department of Homeland Security and other law enforcement agencies in planning security for this event. In addition, he thanked the New York State Police Department for its assistance, the New York Police Department, which has been “actively involved in all our planning and all our operations,” Blakeman said; the New York State Park Police, which he said is experienced in handling mass gatherings; the Metropolitan Transit Authority, the Port Authority and the Joint Terrorism Task FOrce. At a more local level, the Suffolk County Police Department and the Nassau County Police Department, Sheriff’s Department, Health Department and Office of Emergency Management have participated in the planning as well.
Nassau Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder said he has been involved in the planning for the past six months. That includes guarding the construction process and protection of the pitch area, where the game is played.
“We started this months ago to get where we are now and we continue to put in all of our assets,” he said, adding that he had three briefings on this day alone.
Ryder said the threats already started months ago, then just the past week, a “global, international threat called ISIS-K” was issued. He also said that they heard of more threats of terror that may take place during the match between India and Pakistan on June 9. On May 28, ISIS-K released a video calling for a lone wolf to carry out its plan. “When you got a game and a crowd as big as this, every threat is credible,” he said.
The East Meadow, Uniondale and other volunteer fire departments will be providing services during the tournament, according to Blakeman, as well as the Garden City and other village police departments. “It has been truly a cooperative effort,” Blakeman said. “We are cooperating with each other and it’s gratifying to have so many law enforcement security professionals, as well as our health team.”
“Each and every day, Nassau County, as well as other communities, cities and towns throughout the United States receives threats every day,” Blakeman said. “We take every threat seriously. … We don’t minimize threats. We track each lead and make sure that we are on top of every situation that could potentially arise.”
To address the situation and provide extra security at the stadium and nearby Eisenhower Park, Blakeman announced that he will staff an additional 100 police officers. “We have a responsibility to praotect the stadium, but at the same time, we have a responsibility each and every day to our communities to make sure [they are safe] … on an elevated level.”
While this international tournament is going on, Blakeman said, he will take “superior measures to make sure that we are on top of every situation that can occur. The terrorists only have to be right once; we have to be right all the time.”
On speaking about the tournament, Blakeman said this event “gives us a chance to showcase everything in Nassau County, from our shopping, to our restaurants to our hotels, our beaches, our parks and our culture. … I am very confident that is is going to be a very successful and safe event.”
“This is the largest amount of security we have done in this town, but this is going to be the safest come June 9,” Ryder said.
As a traffic safety measure, the park will be closed from 6:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. To enter the stadium, Ryder said, spectators will have to walk through an open magnetometer and be subject to searches. Bags will be forbidden unless it is for medical reasons; then, it would have to be a clear plastic bag. Loitering is also not allowed. “This is not a spectator sport from the outside,” he said. “If you do not have a ticket, you will be turned away.”
The Federal Aviation Administration has requested a no-fly zone, which means drones will not be allowed to be flown over the stadium. Doing so, Ryder said, will result in the drone being identified and the owner being asked to take it down; if the owner refuses to do so, they will be fined and arrested and the drone will be seized.
Security procedures will be “fluid,” Ryder said, “because we don’t want to show any consistent patterns of our behavior. But know this: This is going to be one of the tightest securities that Nassau County has ever seen.”
In a statement, Governor Kathy Hochul said, “In preparation for the Cricket World Cup, my Administration has been working for months with federal law enforcement and Nassau County to ensure New Yorkers and visitors are safe. This has included close coordination with the New York State Police Counter Terrorism Unit and New York State Police Troop L, based on Long Island. While there is no credible public safety threat at this time, we continue to monitor the situation closely. I have also directed the New York State Police to engage in elevated security measures, including an increased law enforcement presence, advanced surveillance, and thorough screening processes. Public safety is my top priority and we are committed to ensuring the Cricket World Cup is a safe, enjoyable experience.”
Long Island Life & Politics reached out to a spokesperson for the Cricket World Cup but did not hear back as of press time.