60 Minutes misses important facts on NYC's surge drills
This past Sunday 60 Minutes presented an in-depth feature called "Inside The NYPD's Anti-Terror Fight". The report opens with films of NYC "surge" drills in process and statements that the drills began as a result of 9/11 and right after the attack (see quotes from CBS below.)
These statements are misleading, and known to be untrue by virtually millions of New Yorkers who did not see regular "surge" drills prior to the summer of 2004, when the Repulican National Convention was about to hit town.
The NYPD surge drills did not start as a response to Sept 11, 2001. The first "surge" was held in June of 2004 - two and a half years after 9/11. The reason they were initiated was for the city to prepare for the potential protests and disruptions during the Republican National Convention.
There was not a single drill prior to June 2004. CityRag recorded drills with lots of detailed photos...
Times Square Security Drill
Times Square Smack Down
Many media outlets picked up on our report and also noted this was their first appearance and the relationship to the RNC...
Fresh Air! Times Square! Terror Scare! (Gawker)
The Politics of Terror (The Gothamist)
After several reports by CityRag, in July of 2004 the New York Times picked up on the story. Michael Wilson's article also verifies that the surges did not start until the summer of 2004 and discusses the RNC connection... 80 Sirens Wailing, but Do Not Panic: This Is Only a Drill
And from RNC watch... NYTimes, Bloggers Document NYPD "Surges"
These surges clearly began in June of 2004 to prepare for the RNC and not directly after 9/11. For the record we are huge fans of CBS's 60 Minutes. In addition we are not making any statements regarding the effectiveness of these drills and the fact that they continue today (although we admit we wonder daily who the city is really trying to intimidate.) But 60 Minutes missed big facts in this story (ones that are have been well covered in the press and are easily verifiable) and they filled it in with misleading statements and we are greatly disturbed by this and wanted to re-expose the true facts.
Misleading statements from Inside The NYPD's Anti-Terror Fight (as published on CBS's site):
One common sight in the city's fight against terror is a counter-terrorism operation called "a surge." About 100 police cars from all over the city swarm into an area like Times Square. These happen unannounced all over the city. ...
Asked how often police conduct this operation, Giordano says, "Every day. Seven days a week. 365!"
A "surge" is a simultaneous deployment of about 200 cops to potential terrorist targets — and a visible demonstration to terrorists and New Yorkers of the widespread changes the NYPD has implemented since 9/11.
